Prime Minister James Marape today reminded resource developers, not to forget the landowners when sharing benefits.
He was speaking during the opening of the 2019 Mining and Petroleum conference in Port Moresby.
It was the Prime Minister’s maiden speech to the annual Mining and Petroleum conference, attended by more than 700 participants in Port Moresby.
His words began with a compliment to investors.
“We wouldn’t have come this far without the help of our investors so for this I pay tribute,” Marape said.
The Prime Minister who has been pushing for better wealth sharing for the nation, pushed for equality in benefits for landowners.
“Most of you investors have made billions of Kina worth of investments, those Billions of Kina need to be protected. And it is government that will protect this investments for you.”
“And government needs to have its resource base sustainable to ensure that landowners are happy, LLGs and the districts you operate in are happy the provincial government are happy and the nation in totality is happy,” Prime Minister Marape adds.
“So it is in this context that we are looking for spaces in the resource laws to ensure that we win a little bit more and you win a little bit more.”
The three day Mining and Petroleum conference begins today and ends on Thursday.
The theme for the 2019 event is “PNG Resources, Developing Shared Value”.
Oil Search Managing Director Peter Botten supported the Prime Minister’s remarks reminding the industry of their social responsibilities.
“Landowners are critical success factor of our operations, he adds refereeing to his experience with Oil Search.
Mr. Marape continued that his government has a broader view to the industry, one that trickles down into other sustainable industries.
This he says will develop the economy of PNG into a broader based economy.
By Bradley Valenaki, EMTV News, Port Moresby
