Minister to provide detailed LO report

Petroleum Minister Kerenga Kua will present a detailed report of the progress of the Hides PDL 1-15 in Parliament later this week.

Hides landowners have been waiting for over 25 years for their royalties. NCDC Governor Powes Parkop made this point in Parliament yesterday (Nov 26) afternoon when asking the Petroleum Minister, Kerenga Kua, about the progress of the LNG Project.

“Mi been lawyer blo ol landowners involve lo PDL 1-4 back in 1994. And many of these landowners i no kisim royalty blo ol inap i kam now. Because yumi gim excuse olsem i no gat social mapping na second olsem ol landowners i kot. Mi laik askim: What is the status of all these royalties? Social mapping em completed or not?”

Governor Parkop said the previous Mining and Petroleum Minister had wasted government resources on social mapping when it should be the responsibility of the developer.

“Insait long lo nau em tok, it is the developer em mas mekim social mapping. This is logical, em stap lo lo. When they are doing exploration and connecting with the community, ol save husait tru em papagraun. The process is there. The submission is made, husait i no hamamas lo disla determination can go and review. And it will be a short process.

“But now yumi kam yet, government is doing social mapping, paying for it. And the developers are living cost free. Landowners are blaming the government when it (developers) should be carrying the responsibility.”

In response, Minister Kua said he will later this week provide a detailed report indicating the progress of PDL 1 to 15.

“Mi bai kam wantaim detailed statement addressing issues blo olgeta laisens blo PDL areas na bai yupla save.”

Parliament continues at 2pm tomorrow (Nov 28).

(Article by Daisy Pakawa – third year UPNG Journalism student – Picture: Petroleum Minister Kerenga Kua)

Author: 
Daisy Pakawa