The PNG government has agreed to Australia's request to house
the centre and the first group of asylum seekers is expected to arrive
on the Island in the next couple of weeks.
But Manus Governor Charlie Benjamin says people want details of the development package promised by the Australian government, and are worried Australian companies will get all contracts to build, maintain and service the centre.
The office of Australia's Minister for Immigration Chris Bowen says the Government has been working closely with the PNG Government on the Regional Processing Centre on Manus Island.
It says service providers have been appointed, after consultation with the PNG Government and based on their demonstrated expertise, experience and capacity to provide services within a short timeframe.
Minister Bowen also met the Governor of Manus Island on his recent trip to PNG, where he expressed the Government's preference that the local community and businesses benefit from the centre.
All service providers have been briefed on Australia's preference to engage local contractors, and buy local supplies and equipment, where possible.
Correspondent: Liam Fox
Speaker: Charlie Benjamin, Governor of Manus island, PNG
BENJAMIN: You know I've always supported this processing centre to come to Manus. There is no question about that. I support the Prime Minister also, but you see we have given a package to the Australian government to consider and I'm aware now that towards the end of next week, the first lot of asylum seekers will be coming to Manus and nobody seems to be addressing our concern this package, apart from it coming in the newspaper, that this package for Manus would be looked at. But the first lot are coming and nothing is coming and I've learned that contracts have been given out in Australia to various Australian companies without even considering us, without even having our thought on it. We've gone out of our way to ensure that we also engage contractors who from Australia on joint ventures. We've engaged SECO, we've engaged Matrix, but we were never informed, we were never told what is happening, so we just learned that this has happened.
And in 2001, exactly the same thing happened and Manus missed out on every little thing and I'm just expressing our disappointment that we have never been consulted, we have never been informed. It's like an arrogant type of an attitude where you do not, I would say a don't care attitude, as to who you're dealing with and the culture, and how the culture is like and how they respond to such type of attitudes. So we do support, but we want to be involved. We don't want to be just bystander.
FOX: So what would you like to see happen Governor?
BENJAMIN: Well, I understand contracts have been given out. My concern is that we were never consulted. We might be interested also, we want to be involved with the contracts that are given out. Some of those contracts we can become, go in as a partner . At least we are being informed what is happening, how we will be involved, will there be subcontractors given out, how will how people be involved in this employment. Also have this package that I don't know what is happening, except that nobody's addressing us and we'd rather this be addressed before the first lot of asylum seekers come to Manus.
FOX: Will anything happen if those things aren't sorted out by the time the first asylum seekers arrive?
BENJAMIN: I'm only expressing my provincial view that at the end of the day, it is really the Prime Minister. If the Prime Minister wants it, then it probably will come, but as host, and as governor of the province, I'm just expressing our disappointment. I know the way things are going, Manus will miss out again.
FOX: Have you spoken to any of your landowners from Lombrum. Do they feel the same way, especially about the contracts being handed out?
BENJAMIN: You know I'm speaking more or less on behalf of them, because definitely they will be furious. I'm trying to make sure this project is done well, so everyone will be happy. I don't want anything to come in the way of these asylum seekers being in Manus.
FOX: Do you think the landowners could cause troubles for the Australian government and for the processing centre in the form of possible protests or blockages, blockades or something like that?
BENJAMIN: These things are sensitive in the PNG context, you have to negotiate well and you have to involve them and they have to know what is happening. The most important thing, if they know what is happening, but if they are not being informed, then there's room for anything can happen you know.
But Manus Governor Charlie Benjamin says people want details of the development package promised by the Australian government, and are worried Australian companies will get all contracts to build, maintain and service the centre.
The office of Australia's Minister for Immigration Chris Bowen says the Government has been working closely with the PNG Government on the Regional Processing Centre on Manus Island.
It says service providers have been appointed, after consultation with the PNG Government and based on their demonstrated expertise, experience and capacity to provide services within a short timeframe.
Minister Bowen also met the Governor of Manus Island on his recent trip to PNG, where he expressed the Government's preference that the local community and businesses benefit from the centre.
All service providers have been briefed on Australia's preference to engage local contractors, and buy local supplies and equipment, where possible.
Correspondent: Liam Fox
Speaker: Charlie Benjamin, Governor of Manus island, PNG
BENJAMIN: You know I've always supported this processing centre to come to Manus. There is no question about that. I support the Prime Minister also, but you see we have given a package to the Australian government to consider and I'm aware now that towards the end of next week, the first lot of asylum seekers will be coming to Manus and nobody seems to be addressing our concern this package, apart from it coming in the newspaper, that this package for Manus would be looked at. But the first lot are coming and nothing is coming and I've learned that contracts have been given out in Australia to various Australian companies without even considering us, without even having our thought on it. We've gone out of our way to ensure that we also engage contractors who from Australia on joint ventures. We've engaged SECO, we've engaged Matrix, but we were never informed, we were never told what is happening, so we just learned that this has happened.
And in 2001, exactly the same thing happened and Manus missed out on every little thing and I'm just expressing our disappointment that we have never been consulted, we have never been informed. It's like an arrogant type of an attitude where you do not, I would say a don't care attitude, as to who you're dealing with and the culture, and how the culture is like and how they respond to such type of attitudes. So we do support, but we want to be involved. We don't want to be just bystander.
FOX: So what would you like to see happen Governor?
BENJAMIN: Well, I understand contracts have been given out. My concern is that we were never consulted. We might be interested also, we want to be involved with the contracts that are given out. Some of those contracts we can become, go in as a partner . At least we are being informed what is happening, how we will be involved, will there be subcontractors given out, how will how people be involved in this employment. Also have this package that I don't know what is happening, except that nobody's addressing us and we'd rather this be addressed before the first lot of asylum seekers come to Manus.
FOX: Will anything happen if those things aren't sorted out by the time the first asylum seekers arrive?
BENJAMIN: I'm only expressing my provincial view that at the end of the day, it is really the Prime Minister. If the Prime Minister wants it, then it probably will come, but as host, and as governor of the province, I'm just expressing our disappointment. I know the way things are going, Manus will miss out again.
FOX: Have you spoken to any of your landowners from Lombrum. Do they feel the same way, especially about the contracts being handed out?
BENJAMIN: You know I'm speaking more or less on behalf of them, because definitely they will be furious. I'm trying to make sure this project is done well, so everyone will be happy. I don't want anything to come in the way of these asylum seekers being in Manus.
FOX: Do you think the landowners could cause troubles for the Australian government and for the processing centre in the form of possible protests or blockages, blockades or something like that?
BENJAMIN: These things are sensitive in the PNG context, you have to negotiate well and you have to involve them and they have to know what is happening. The most important thing, if they know what is happening, but if they are not being informed, then there's room for anything can happen you know.
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