Porgera law, order issues concern CEO

The new President and Chief Executive Officer of Barrick Gold Corporation, Mark Bristow, is concerned about the level of violence at Porgera in Enga.

“It’s disappointing to come here and see such conflict. We should be working to make sure that the community around this mine improves…to make this place a better place to come to work,” Bristow said during a ‘question and answer’ (Q&A) session with employees recently, at the Porgera Gold Mine.

On his maiden visit to Papua New Guinea, Bristow led a Barrick delegation to Port Moresby and up to Porgera, from 15 to 18 February 2019.

He called on the national employees, particularly those from areas in the vicinity of the mine and the general Enga Province, to look at ways within their families, clans and tribes, to deal with the ongoing tribal warfare that has resulted in the loss of many lives and destroyed properties over the years.

“We’ve convinced other people to come and put their money here and my job today is to convince Barrick investors to continue to stay in Papua New Guinea and I can’t do that without your help.”

Bristow, from South Africa, shared his experience on conflict resolution.

“So when is it that we stop and take the responsibility ourselves for our own future?

“I will point out to you that there’s not one example that a war has resulted in peace. Wars are always resolved in the conversation after the war. So why should we fight? Why don’t we just go straight to the conversation?”

Barrick in a statement said Bristow, during his four-day visit to PNG, met with Deputy Prime Minister Charles Abel, representatives of the Porgera Landowners’ Association (PLOA), Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Rimbink Pato, Wabag Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Lino Tom, and Lagaip-Porgera MP Tomait Kapili.

Author: 
Press release