Support Govt decision on mine

AS an Engan with full knowledge of the Porgera mine, I wish to put in perspective the scenarios we are into regarding the mine’s closure.
People such as Nickson Pakea who is calling himself the president of the Porgera chamber of business, are giving an exaggerated figure of a K24 million loss in revenues due to the mine’s closure.
Barrick Niugini has left the people of Porgera, especially the special mining lease landowners, in their own land for 30 years without proper resettlement.
They have no good water supply and face land shortages and overcrowding among many other problems.
If I was an educated elite, I would be telling the people to remain calm for a short while giving time to the Government to sort out the issues affecting the reopening of the mine like waiting for the outcome of the court cases the company has against the state.
Prime Minister James Marape had said we will be experiencing a “short-term pain for a long-term gain”.
If I was from Porgera, I would be dancing around because the state will surely give an increased equity participation in the near future.
Every Engan is eager to know how much equity the state will give to Enga and Porgera landowners.
Barrick has not given any benefits to the Porgera landowners and the people of Enga for the last 30 years.

Say Kongs
Wabag