By MELISSA MARTIN
Koiari Landowners have forcefully entered PNG Power
premises at the Rouna Hydro Station and shut down power Monday afternoon.
Police personnel who were sent to Rouna earlier in the morning could not do much
as the landowners entered the premises in numbers.
Meanwhile the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill yesterday appealed to PNG Power employees across the nation not to go on a planned sit-in protest.
The protest is to press the employees concerns at the Government’s decision to transfer PNG powers hydro to the LR Group to manage.
The shutting of power supply into Port Moresby has now prompted PNG Power to carry out widespread emergency load shedding of electricity supply into the city at as of this afternoon.
The landowners have taken advantage of threats by the PNG Energy Workers Union to shut down power nationwide this week.
PNG Power Management and officers from the Chief Secretary to the Government will commence discussions with the landowners tomorrow to sort out the issue.
The reason for the forceful shutdown by the landowners relates back to outstanding grievances they have with the National Government.
The Minister for Public Enterprises Sir Mekere Morauta said yesterday that he was disappointed with the continuous threat to disrupt the nation’s power supply.
“On Friday I had an amicable and constructive meeting with the PNG Power unions in which we had discussed a number of issues and worked out an approach that was satisfactory to all parties.
“Most importantly I repeated my assurances that there would be no redundancies as a result of our plan to rehabilitate Port Moresby’s power supply.
“I also reiterated my assurances that no PNG power workers would lose any entitlements or terms and conditions of employment whatsoever.
“I also told the unions that PPL would continue to hold all the generating assets, as they do now, there is simply no plan to sell or transfer those assets out of PPL control.
“We also agreed on a way for workers to deal with PNG Power over their past entitlements – identify each issue and deal with them one by one, in isolation from any other considerations.
“But it appears that a couple of very desperate would-be politicians have been spreading misinformation and half-truths to further their own political careers.”
Sir Mekere appealed to PNG Power workers to put the nation ahead of the interests of a few individuals.
Disruptions on the basis of false and misleading information would put the safety of tens of thousands of people at risk.
The PNG Power union gathered yesterday at a conference and demanded that they want to see the Prime Minister’s response Statement in the media today before they decide on any actions.They stated that if Port Moresby Power Limited and the new LR Company will share half the share each, than redundancy process will still take place.
The Workers Union President Eddie Gisa said the employees want their Elcom Entitlements settled before the new company starts operating.
“The Employees are concerned that employees’ benefits and welfare had not been considered fully before the decision was reached. We appeal to the government and relevant authorities to shelve the plan until after the national elections or otherwise pay all workers their outstanding entitlements and benefits with an agreement in place to secure all PNG Power employees during this transition,” he added.
The employees said the Government had not settled benefits of PNG Power employees affected when it was set up to take over from PNG Elcom in 2010,they demanded that this be sorted out before the new arrangement becomes effective. The Prime Minister Peter O’Neill who was on campaign duties in the highlands for his Peoples National Congress Party yesterday in Liagam and Kundiawa responded to the issue and said he understands the concerns raised by the employees of PNG Power. He urged the employees not to rush into a protest that was likely to result in the shutdown of water and power supply that would affect a lot of innocent people. He promised the Government would review the decision to pass hydro assets to LR Group and also the involvement in discussions of the new arrangement with all stakeholders including the employees of PNG Power.
“I am mindful of the concerns by the employees and I can say that the government will review the arrangement with LR Group and that will consult widely and include all stake holders as well as the employees in the final decision. I ask the employees to in the meantime go back to work and ensure there is no disruption to power supply,” he stated.
Meanwhile the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill yesterday appealed to PNG Power employees across the nation not to go on a planned sit-in protest.
The protest is to press the employees concerns at the Government’s decision to transfer PNG powers hydro to the LR Group to manage.
The shutting of power supply into Port Moresby has now prompted PNG Power to carry out widespread emergency load shedding of electricity supply into the city at as of this afternoon.
The landowners have taken advantage of threats by the PNG Energy Workers Union to shut down power nationwide this week.
PNG Power Management and officers from the Chief Secretary to the Government will commence discussions with the landowners tomorrow to sort out the issue.
The reason for the forceful shutdown by the landowners relates back to outstanding grievances they have with the National Government.
The Minister for Public Enterprises Sir Mekere Morauta said yesterday that he was disappointed with the continuous threat to disrupt the nation’s power supply.
“On Friday I had an amicable and constructive meeting with the PNG Power unions in which we had discussed a number of issues and worked out an approach that was satisfactory to all parties.
“Most importantly I repeated my assurances that there would be no redundancies as a result of our plan to rehabilitate Port Moresby’s power supply.
“I also reiterated my assurances that no PNG power workers would lose any entitlements or terms and conditions of employment whatsoever.
“I also told the unions that PPL would continue to hold all the generating assets, as they do now, there is simply no plan to sell or transfer those assets out of PPL control.
“We also agreed on a way for workers to deal with PNG Power over their past entitlements – identify each issue and deal with them one by one, in isolation from any other considerations.
“But it appears that a couple of very desperate would-be politicians have been spreading misinformation and half-truths to further their own political careers.”
Sir Mekere appealed to PNG Power workers to put the nation ahead of the interests of a few individuals.
Disruptions on the basis of false and misleading information would put the safety of tens of thousands of people at risk.
The PNG Power union gathered yesterday at a conference and demanded that they want to see the Prime Minister’s response Statement in the media today before they decide on any actions.They stated that if Port Moresby Power Limited and the new LR Company will share half the share each, than redundancy process will still take place.
The Workers Union President Eddie Gisa said the employees want their Elcom Entitlements settled before the new company starts operating.
“The Employees are concerned that employees’ benefits and welfare had not been considered fully before the decision was reached. We appeal to the government and relevant authorities to shelve the plan until after the national elections or otherwise pay all workers their outstanding entitlements and benefits with an agreement in place to secure all PNG Power employees during this transition,” he added.
The employees said the Government had not settled benefits of PNG Power employees affected when it was set up to take over from PNG Elcom in 2010,they demanded that this be sorted out before the new arrangement becomes effective. The Prime Minister Peter O’Neill who was on campaign duties in the highlands for his Peoples National Congress Party yesterday in Liagam and Kundiawa responded to the issue and said he understands the concerns raised by the employees of PNG Power. He urged the employees not to rush into a protest that was likely to result in the shutdown of water and power supply that would affect a lot of innocent people. He promised the Government would review the decision to pass hydro assets to LR Group and also the involvement in discussions of the new arrangement with all stakeholders including the employees of PNG Power.
“I am mindful of the concerns by the employees and I can say that the government will review the arrangement with LR Group and that will consult widely and include all stake holders as well as the employees in the final decision. I ask the employees to in the meantime go back to work and ensure there is no disruption to power supply,” he stated.
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