PM Marape wants to engage PNG Tradesmen for P'NYANG, Papua LNG Project construction

 Papua New Guinea PRIME Minister James Marape is pushing for the engagement of Papua New Guinean tradesmen and technicians in the construction of P'nyang and Papua LNG projects to cut down on the employment of overseas workers.

While signing the framework agreements on the two gas projects with ExxonMobil heads today in Houston, the Prime Minister recommended that PNG supply the labour needed to construct the project plants.

He said the Government would work at providing the training for Papua New Guineans within the two years it would take for designs to be completed.

PM Marape said this was to discourage the number of overseas workers coming in and doing something that can be done by Papua New Guineans.

"At the last PNGLNG project, we had over 10,000 foreigners arriving in PNG to work in construction, something that our Grade 10 and 12 dropouts can be trained to do," said PM Marape.

"My Government is prepared to train the workforce needed for these two projects.

“This is in line with the plans I had when I was Education Minister. In 2009 and 2010, I worked to upgrade Port Moresby Technical College for specific LNG training."

President of ExxonMobil for Upstream Oil and Gas, Liam Mallon agreed to this proposal and said he would get ExxonMobil PNG to supply to the Government the number of people needed to be trained so they can be engaged on the project.....read more related stories on >> Pacific Mining Watch 

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