PNG Deputy Opposition Leader Sam Basil wants fair share of mining benefits

Deputy Opposition Leader and Bulolo M-P, Sam Basil is upset over findings of a National Research Institute Report, into mining activities in his Wau-Bulolo area of Morobe, urging for an immediate review into the 2005 Memorandum Of Agreement.

The Report highlighted discrepancies in the M-O-A, with landowners of the Hidden Valley Gold mine missing out on benefits, since its commencement.

It states that the impact of benefits flow both financial and developments, were inadequately translated into social and economic growth in the mine-affect community.

Mr. Basil was speaking during the Report's launch in Port Moresby, last Thursday.

"So when I came in to representing my people of Bulolo from 2007, the mine was already in existence.The MOA is being signed and they've created a monster which is the NAKUWI company, landowner company .That is not in transparent and the landowners that are suppose to be having the cycle of representation, the leadership of those companies or investments are left out.I would like to ask the government, the mining secretary, the MRA managing director who is here with us today.We should take into consideration those, because today, I will be back in Lae by 2 o'clock and we will be going straight into the MOA of the Hidden Valley and once again, I'd like the government, Philip Samar (MRA Managing Director), I want, us, to take into consideration the districts, the host districts".

Meantime, Deputy Opposition Leader and Bulolo M-P, Sam Basil, is urging the National Government to revisit its mining laws, to include landowners interests and benefit processes.

Basil said, in most P-N-G mining communities, the developers, National and Provincial Governments gain from royalty benefits more than the landowners, who continue to struggle.

Mr Basil said, it's time now for Government to put in mechanisms that encourage equal participation of landowners and developers.

"The challenge is, how can we get landowner companies at least to benefit in terms of participating.Many a times when landowner companies pull together, we always get this answers that the landowners do not have the capacity.No!!, displa em giaman toktok yah.We cannot say that any longer.The people that trying to develop the mines, they have their agendas in terms of how quick they can make bucks out of the mine.Most of the companies operating out of the Hidden Valley, HBS growing into a multi billion kina company, keep building itself out of Hidden Valley.So, why na bai yumi stap na lukim ol white man kam na usim resource blo yumi na mining blo yumi kamapim bikpla business.We cannot allow that.Displa moni HBS kisim na kamap bikpla company, it should by my landowner, they own resource or why can't the government wake up now, why can't we get the landowners to own???".

Mr. Basil was speaking at the launch of the National Research Institute Report, on mining activities in the Wau-Bulolo area of Morobe, in Port Moresby.

The report based on the assessment of the Benefit Sharing Arrangements of large-scale mining activities, particularly in the Hidden Valley gold mine project.

 PNG Today / NBC