Landowners in the Western Province will have 19 % ownership of Ok Tedi mining, says Prime Minister, Peter O&rsquO’Neill.
He said this in parliament today after a series of questions were directed to him by former Minister for Treasury and Member for Kandep, Don Polye regarding the government's ownership of the mine.
He asked Prime Minister Peter O&rsquO’Neill if he had shares in some of the companies that were awarded contracts at the mine site, and if the people of Western province would benefit from these companies.
He also asked why the mine had not given any revenue or tax last year like it did in previous years before the mine became a government entity.
The Prime Minister, however, said he had no hidden agendas in the ownership of the mine and that the people of Western province were the priority.
He said that after the processing of the mine's new structure, it is the government’s aim to give back the mine to the people, with them owning 19% of all shares.
He also added that the mine could not give in its' revenue last year because of the changeover of ownership which caused the mine a massive payout to its' workers.
Heavy rainfall and delays in the processing of the mine’s new structure were also some of the causes of the mine not providing revenue; however, he said that that did not stop the mine from paying tax.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=i-ek5ykydHQ%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
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