Western people refuse MRDC to manage 33% equity

The people of Western Province, especially the mine villages in the Ok Tedi mining area are calling on the Government to review its decision on the management of its 33% equity.

They are querying that the 33% equity given to them by the passing of the 10th Supplementary Act and NEC Decision 402/2014 does not mandate the Mineral Resource Development Corporation (MRDC) to manage it.

Representing the landowners of the mine villages, Community leader Nick Bunn said the NEC Decision 402/2014 directed that the 33% should be distributed between the mine villages, Provincial Government and CMCA and nominate their holding companies that will hold the equity on their behalf.

He said by requirements of the Mining Act, MRDC is mandated only to manage the legislative equity which is 3.05% through the Trust under MROT2 for and on behalf of the Provincial Government and 3.05% through Trust for and on behalf of the Mine Villages.

“MRDC does not have any legal standing in the 33% free equity given to the people of Western Province.

“The people of Western have not seen any tangible investment returns of their investment funds managed by MRDC for very basic services like education or health services over the years.

“MRDC has used the Western people's funds in big investments in Fiji and the current Star Mountains Plaza. It’s only by name that the people of Western know that they own part of the Star Mountains Plaza,” Bunn claimed.

He added that MRDC officials organised meetings in Tabubil and Kiunga from March 4-6 to seek the CMCA Leaders' consent to agree to and transfer the 12% Equity from the 33% to MRDC.

However, Bunn said he had received signed petitions from the 12 Mine Villages and the 156 CMCA communities which is addressed to the Prime Minister demanding the following:

  1. The MOA signed on the Jan 19, 2017 is null and void and does not have any legal standing in the sharing of the 33% free equity given to the people of Western;
  2. NEC MUST endorse any submission on the sharing of the 33% and Holding entities because the people were not fully consulted and their consent not given;
  3. MRDC proposal to managed the balance of 26.9% through Trust Holding Companies is TOTALLY REJECTED;
  4. FRPG and PEC have not endorsed the sharing agreed on sharing of the 33% by the Mine villages, Provincial Government and CMCA communities;
  5. The Mine Villages have issues with landownership and they demand that 9% must not be shared until a full-scale mediation process is conducted to identify the true landowners of the Mine Lease Area; and
  6. The PEC must not endorse any proposal by MRDC.

Bunn is demanding that Prime Minister Peter O’Neil on behalf of the people must intervene and not entertain the proposal by MRDC signed in the MOA of Jan 19, 2017.

He is also appealling to the PM to direct Ok Tedi mine not to release the 33% of the K150 million recently declared profit in December 2016 to MRDC until the people are fully consulted and consensus is reached on the sharing of the 33% and the Land mediation for the Mine villages is conducted.

Author: 
Freddy Mou