New Ireland Governor, Walter Schnaubelt, has raised concern over the continued delay of the Lihir Ring Road Project describing it as a failure of duty to the people of Lihir Island in New Ireland Province.
This follows his recently concluded visit to Lihir Island to inspect what was expected to be the near- completed 27- kilometer sealed road.
He said in a statement that the road has coexisted with one of the world’s largest gold mining operations for over three decades.
Schnaubelt said the project was officially launched in early 2023 and scheduled for completion by the end of this year. Instead, what was discovered was a disturbing lack of progress, with no substantial works underway on the remaining western section of the road despite clearly defined funding commitments, formal agreements, and repeated public assurances by stakeholders.
“This delay is a betrayal of the people of Lihir. For over 28 years, Lihir has provided billions in gold revenue to Lihir Gold Limited and the national government, yet the people still live without the most basic infrastructure. That is unacceptable.”
During the visit, Governor Schnaubelt and his team met with senior representatives of Newmont to better understand the reasons behind the project delays.
While the team appreciated the opportunity to engage directly with Newmont, Governor Schnaubelt expressed his disappointment that the information shared lacked sufficient detail, particularly regarding timelines, updated work plans, project delivery model and mechanisms for accountability.
“The discussions with Newmont left us with more questions than answers. We were hoping for clearer direction, stronger commitments, and a more comprehensive update on the status of the project,” Governor Schnaubelt said.
“The people of Lihir are eager for progress and deserve greater assurance moving forward.”
