Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ)

He said since the initiation of the project they were unable to support the project because they were not in the office to have sufficient funding for the project to kick off. He is now happy that the current government is looking into that.

His visit to Madang Province was part of the Marape Government’s review of the Medium Term Revenue Strategy (MTRS) for 2023-2027.

The study is to identify potential new sources of finance for the project, discover the whereabouts of more than K300 million previously committed to it, and investigate dubious land dealings.

“Recent work by government agencies has cleared up some technical and financial concerns about the project, and reaffirmed its fundamental attraction,” Ling-Stuckey said.

“The PMIZ is a very crucial government intervention for economy growth; it will be developed with a world class wharf with enabling infrastructure that will bring enormous spin off benefits to the peripheries of the PMIZ affected communities,” says the Minister.

“As the Minister responsible for the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ), I have made several trips to the area and communicated with the affected communities.

This followed the presentation of the “full commencement order” by the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry Richard Maru to the contractor, China Shenyang International Corporation (PNG) Limited today in Port Moresby.

Maru said: “After a period of ten years since its inception, the PMIZ project will now see the beginning of the construction with the support of the current Government.”

The delay was because of Court proceedings instigated by NGO’s supporting disgruntled landowners. 

One of the vibrant leaders of Riwo, Hood Kasses, says the landowners are waiting every day to see if the promised 30,000 jobs will be advertised.

Mr Kasses says they will not give up and will wait to see the government promise of jobs come to pass and all the landowners get employed and involved in business development activities.

He says despite the waiting he urges the landowners not to sell their land to outsiders coming in and taking advantage of the PMIZ and wanting to buy  land to set up business or settle.