Sinivit Wild Dog mine landowners urged to work together to share benefits

LANDOWNERS of the Sinivit Wild Dog mine area in East New Britain province have been urged to work together if they are keen to see tangible benefits reach their people.
The in-fighting among traditional landowning groups have resulted in the lack of support from the mine developer and the provincial government since the mine commenced operations five years ago.
Speaking at a reconciliation ceremony on Tuesday between landowners, the provincial government, Niugini Gold Limited
(NGL) and Nakama Enterprise manager John Tarutia called on all leaders of the association and Uramat Landowning Group Company which includes
Nakama, to stop working in isolation and for their own interests.
Mr Tarutia said the three leaders must think of the people and the way they had continued to miss out on services that could have been provided to them if leaders worked together.
He said the problems hindering such development were not with the developer but the leaders of the Uramot-Baining landowners.
NGL representative Paul Pora said the lifespan of the mine was five years and there were a lot of opportunities for the landowners to be involved and benefit.