Who stands to benefit from Ihu project?

A RECENT 60 Minutes programme aired on ABC network has brought to the fore the story on the establishment of the Kikori Ihu free economic zone super industrial complex in the Gulf of Papua.
This is a mega project for which the nation stands to gain substantially from and could forever change the face of Gulf to very well becoming an industrial hub enabling spin-offs for the people of Gulf, Central and Western.
While the project must be applauded, the proponents have in their wisdom chosen to include three massive infrastructures of greater significance, a military base catering for a naval facility as well as an airport which will be capable of catering military planes including fighter jets as can be seen being explained on camera which is very captivating.
This aspect of the industrial township throws the door wide open to speculation as to the real purpose of the K8 billion project and further raises the question of who stands to benefit the most out of that project.
A bigger question though is, whilst that project will facilitate a military base by design and purpose, the nation needs to know who will own it.
Northern Governor Gary Juffa and the Prime Minister James Marape are both interviewed at various intervals in the programme and the focus of the interview is on where PNG stands regarding its relationship with Australia in the face of the growing influence of China in the Pacific region.
As far as we the people of PNG are concerned, China is a partner in trade and investments in this country and has been a good friend and still remains one, while on the other hand Australia has been more of a mother country to PNG in very much the same way as England is to Australia.
As a nation we owe it all to Australia for who we are.
The friendship and bond established between our people over the years is so deeply entrenched it can never and must never be undone.
The system of government we have adopted is open democracy and all its’ principal functions are enshrined in democratic freedom covering all aspects of life, in governance and in religion and everything else that comes in between for which we can for ever be grateful to Australia.
Our way of life founded on the constitution framed by our founding fathers is modelled on the Australian system and must at all times be protected by every Government that comes into office.
On the flip side, our brother Melanesian nation the Solomon Islands is the first of the Pacific family to engage with China in the law and order sector, an agreement that not only promotes and protects Chinese investments but also allows Chinese instructors to conduct and train Solomon police the Chinese style of law enforcement, maintaining and countering of dissent and upholding social order in the Solomon Islands.
There is no issue here, the host nation will at some stage be able to reflect on the positives or the negatives of this engagement.
While in our case, our self defence needs lie in the hands of the PNGDF and our police force continues to maintain civil order, we have no reason to fear any external threats as we are friends to all and enemies to none and that alone is sufficient reason for the country not to establish any type of military base anywhere in the country including the one being proposed for the Gulf project.
Our existing military bases are more than enough for our needs.
Any defence needs and situations beyond our capacity should be left to our traditional partners the Australians to attend to with whom we share common defence needs.

Francis Talu