Businessman accuses oil firms of collusion

A local businessman alleges that there is serious corporate collusion between Puma Energy and Mobil Oil.

It was claimed that local businesses in the country are being overlooked by corporate giants. And Puma Energy is giving business to foreign-owned firms to run and operate fuel stations and local SMEs.

He demanded an explanation from the entities and called on the consumer watchdog to investigate such deals.

According to online records of the Investment Promotion Authority, Trophy Haus Limited’s subsidiary, Fone Haus, runs and operates the service stations at Five-Mile, Waigani and Rainbow.

Another Trophy Haus subsidiary – Victory No 8 – was awarded contracts by Puma Energy to run the Puma Energy Service Stations at Konedobu, Lawes Road and now Waigani service station near the freeway.

Trophy Haus Ltd is owned by a Malaysian and all directors and shareholders are of foreign origin.

The businessman said such arrangements show corporate greed and does not promote local SME.

But Puma Energy Country Manager, Jim Collings, said Puma Energy is well aware of the value of supporting local business development and as the leading fuel retailer in PNG, they are proud to confirm that close to 100 percent of the dealer contracts they have in place for their company owned/leased sites are with PNG citizens.

He added that Puma Energy has successfully transitioned its main company owned and operated facilities to PNG Citizen Dealer operated facilities.

In addition, Collings said Puma Energy has been actively working to create new PNG citizen businesses in its LPG business.

“In the last 18 months, there have been over 350 new PNG citizen resellers created and this number is expected to increase to over 500 before the middle of 2019.”

(Puma Energy Country Manager, Jim Collings)

Author: 
Freddy Mou