The issue of royalty payments for Resource project landowners has again been raise on the Floor of Parliament.
Gulf Governor Chris Haiveta, in a series of questions to the Prime Minister, sought clarification on the status of Royalties held in Trust – for landowners in the forestry sector, as well as for landowners in the oil, gas and mining sector.
His questions, based on concerns over the perceived misuse of these funds by Government.
According to Governor Haiveta, there were concerns, particularly for forestry landowners, that royalties held in trust by the State, had been used for other purposes, through the recent Public Money Management Regularization Act Exercise – which when implemented in 2018, saw all revenue received by the State, be transferred to Finance.
In responding, Prime Minister James Marape acknowledged the implementation of the PMMRA may have affected royalties from the forestry sector.
The Prime Minister also indicating that the Finance Minister would provide an update on these funds.
Prime Minister Marape also reassuring Governor Haiveta that royalties for landowners within mining and petroleum projects would be paid directly to correctly identified landowners.
By Meriba Tulo, EMTV News, Port Moresby
