Landowners demand shares

By MELISSA MARTIN

OK Tedi mine landowners and representatives of the mine affected communities are demanding the Government transfer the 63.4 per cent shares in the mine it recently expropriated back to them and the people of Western Province.
The landowners and the Community Mine Continuation Agreement (CMCA) leaders, who represent over 150,000 people of Western Province, want the Government to set up a separate entity to take custody of their shares with the OTML or let PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP) remain as a caretaker but under different structure.
The shares were part and parcel of the environmental compensation by BHP Billiton for environmental damage to the CMCA communities and mine-affected villages in Western Province.
CMCA spokesman and a mine village leader Joel Dangkim told a press conference in Port Moresby  that no mine dividends are to be spent outside of the Western Province.
“The 63.4 per cent share must be paid to CMCA and mine villages and no one else. Ownership of OTML and the distribution of dividends are part of the environmental compensation to CMCA people and mine villages,” he said.
However, a spokesman for Prime Minister Peter O’Neill urged CMCA leaders not to allow themselves to be “misled” by PNGSDP or its agents.
“PNGSDP is yours but it has never worked for you,” the spokesman said.
“They have poured millions of kina into the failed Daru port project, the Purari hydro project, and Cloudy Bay timber project and others that have no direct bearing on improving your health and livelihood. Now they are telling you that they work for you? Their time is up. Do not be misled by them anymore.
“It is time for the CMCA leaders to work with their newly elected LLG leaders, their provincial government, and national leaders to ensure the new OTML and the new PNGSDP delivers the programs and projects that will go a long way in improving their lives and sustaining that for some time,” the spokesman added.
Nonetheless the landowners and CMCA Leaders charged that they did not give their consent for the Government’s takeover of PNGSDP Shares, which were held in trust during the mine life extension (MLE) community consultation and negotiations.
“There was no proper consultation to address issues raised in petitions from the Mine Villagers and CMCA leaders on 2nd August 2013. To date, there has been no response to our written letters to both Prime Minister and the Managing Director of OTML on 11th September 2013. Following the discussion of these outstanding issues; we are now left with the only option to seek legal means to address the issues,” said Mr Dangkim.
The politicians who voted in the National Parliament for the Government to expropriate the mine also came under scrutiny with Mr Dangkim demanding an apology from them.
“We the people of Western Province also demand an apology from all elected leaders who have voted for the bill on the floor of the National Parliament.
“The decision of takeover also means our present livelihood and future of our generation will be at stake and lost forever,” added Mr Dangkim.