PRESS RELEASE
“Thank you Prime Minister Hon. Peter O’Neill and the PNC-led Government”
We the Basamuk Landowners and the people of Rai Coast welcome the announcement by the Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Hon. Richard Maru, issuing a policy direction to resource companies like Ramu Nico Management Ltd (MCC) to take up corporate social responsibility in providing infrastructure and services to mine-impacted communities within the SML areas.
This is the first time in 13 years that a State Minister is acknowledging the lack of development in Basamuk, Rai Coast, where the Ramu Nickel Project’s refinery and limestone mines are located.
We thank the Prime Minister Hon. Peter O’Neill and the PNC-led Government for providing decisive leadership in holding resource developers accountable and in negotiating better deals for new mining, oil and gas projects in the country.
The Ramu Nickel Mine is one of the worst negotiated mines in PNG under the National Alliance-led Government. We’ve seen more favourable deals for other projects like the PNG LNG. We have not participated equally nor shared the benefits of extraction of our resources fairly.
We have petitioned the Government in December 2018, saying “No” to the K 5 Billion Extension Project unless the Government addresses 17-year-old un-resolved land issues, compensation, environmental concerns, lack of development and negotiate a better deal for us.
We again thank the Prime Minister and Minister for National Planning for putting Ramu Nickel Mine back on the discussion board. We look forward to receiving the Government delegation led by Hon. Richard Maru at Basamok.
We understand the Vote of No Confidence is around the corner. We the people of Basamuk want development, not politics. We support our Prime Minister, Hon. Peter O’Neill to continue his reign until 2022.
We’ve seen how the PNC-led Government has boldly invested in major infrastructures as the foundation for PNG’s socio-economic transformation. We the people of Rai Coast also want development in our District. We’ve been neglected for far too long.
We look forward to receiving the delegation and presenting our issues and demands in a peaceful manner.
Authorized by:
SAMA MELLOMBO
Chairman – Basamuk Landowners Association
A great achievement