Petromin owning state shares in Wafi-Golpu worries impacted communities.

Press Release

08^th September 2012
 

Petromin owning state shares in Wafi-Golpu worries impacted communities.

Petromin PNG Holdings Ltd Managing Director Joshua Kalinoe recent media statements responds to Harmony Gold Chief Executive Graham Briggs that state would pay for participation in the project did not seem to go down well with the mining impacted communities’ along the Watut river.

President of the Union of Watut River Communities Incorporated Mr. Reuben Mete says Petromin as the State’s nominee to participate in Wafi-Golpu is a slap to the face of the impacted communities. Mr. Mete said state would have compromises its roles as the regulator of the environment and mining when it is in business with mining companies.

(Picture: Mr Mete standing at the Hidden Valley Sediments load at Samsam Village in Mumeng LLG)

This has become a norm in this nation and we the small people are fed up with this type of hypocracies while development is forced down our throats.  We already have 10 large mines in this nation and yet there is no impact of mining boom on the lives of ordinary Papua New Guineans. The social environmental indicators of development in this nation tell a contradicting story while mining companies talk about sustainability given the non-renewable resource and its benefits to Papua New Guinea.

 Enough of Mining propaganda in this nation , we may have just come out of stone age life but we can read A,B,B and count 1,2,3 so please do not insult our intelligence as the government still lacks capacity to regulate this industry given the background of numerous unresolved issues over other mines. Let the regulator be the middle man rather than being a referee and a player at the same time which should have been describe as a conflict of interest.

Petomin has a poor record with social and environmental issues in the Tolokuma Gold Mine in Goilala hence, they should not be allowed into Wafi-Golpu. The people should rise-up, stop the project and demand Petromin off the hook. The South African Harmony Gold and Newcrest of Australia also polluted Watut River with sediments and toxic from the Hidden Valley Mine and yet the Government Regulatory arms are doing nothing about it.

Wafi-Golpu Mine would cost US$4.8 billion to develop and was estimated to produce up to 550,000 ounces of gold and 330,000 tonnes of copper annually for 26 years.

 

Approved for Release by:

Reuben Mete (Mr.)
President – Union of Watut River Communities Association Incorporated 
Mobile Phone: 725 22667
email: uowrc@yahoo.com.au