Violence worries mining boss

THE president and chief executive of Barrick Gold Corporation, Mark Bristow, is concerned about the level of violence at Porgera in Enga.
“It’s disappointing to come here and see such conflict,” he said.
“We should be working to make sure that the community around this mine make this place a better place to come to work.”
Bristow said this during a question and answer (Q&A) session with employees at Porgera Gold Mine.
On his maiden visit to the country, Bristow led a Barrick delegation to Port Moresby and up to Porgera on Feb 15 to 18.
He called on national employees, particularly those from areas in the vicinity of the mine and the general Enga province, to look at ways within their families, clans and tribes, to deal with ongoing tribal warfare that had resulted in the loss of many lives and destroyed properties over the years.
“We’ve convinced other people to come and put their money here,” Bristow said.
“My job today is to convince Barrick investors to continue to stay in Papua New Guinea.
“I can’t do that without your help.”
Bristow, from South Africa, shared many of his experiences on conflict resolution.
“When is it that we stop and take the responsibility ourselves for our own future? I will point out to you that there’s not one example that a war has resulted in peace. Wars are always resolved in the conversation after the war. So why should we fight? Why don’t we just go straight to the conversation?”
The Q&A session gave employees an opportunity to ask questions on various subjects.