By Sharon Engnui
The Porgera Mt Kare Young Generation Association has demanded the National Government under the department of Mining to declare and recognize the legitimate and genuine association that is recognized by the 23 signatories of the 1989 Porgera MOA.
Chairman of the Association Anton Kaluni made this statement at a news conference in Port Moresby recently.
With just a few steps away from the opening of the New Porgera Mine, chairman of the Porgera Mt Kare Young Generation Association who have said to accommodate 40 sub clans have called on the government through the office of the Prime Minister and other relevant stakeholders to declare and recognise the association.
“Government must declare this association, if not there will be a problem, the government and the company will face. We will shut down the mine if the leadership is given to POLA, it will foster a much greater problem,” he said.
Mr Kaluni revealed that more than 20 thousand people of SML were not represented in the Porgera landowners’ association and added that the POLA had failed to provide acquittals and financial reports for the last 30 years on the 5% equity. They are calling on the national government to change the leadership to avoid mistakes going forward.
Kaluni said “Future generation and many of the silent majority are in the village, am speaking on their behalf, we have missed out, students trust fund existed yet uneducated rate is high with illicit activities happening, there is lack of road infrastructure, all that is the cause of leadership failure government and stakeholders appoint new leader”.
Kaluni highlighted that the Porgera Mt Kare New Generation Association has a very unique constitution that will serve the interest of the silent majority, affected province and the nation as a whole.
“All the chairman are with us this association reflects the interest of those who have missed out since which includes the state,” said Kaluni.
