Potape: Focus on LNG project

 By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

PETROLEUM and Energy Minister Francis Potape has called on stakeholders to work together and ensure the multi-billion-kina liquefied natural gas project is delivered on time and within budget, The National reports.

He said the first consultative meeting would be held at the PNG Institute of Public Administration at 8am on Monday.

The meeting would allow ministers, government agencies, landowners and invited LNG partners to provide updates and progress reports on their LNG-related work.

Potape and other Southern Highlands leaders will attend the meeting.

"It is important that we, as a government, provide accurate information on the project to the people because, at times, interruptions to construction work are not based on accurate information," he said.

Invitations had been extended to the departments of commerce and industry, treasury, planning, public enterprises, attorney-general and other entities like MRDC to make presentations.

"These departments and agencies play a crucial role in progressing the LNG project and it was important that they attend the meeting and inform the landowners about the correct procedures and processes to follow," Potape said.

He said the presentations would focus on business development grants, memorandum of agreement funds, integrated landowner groups, ADR on LNG litigation and infrastructure grants.

"Work on the vetting and incorporation of ILGs will also be launched at the meeting so that clans and sub-clans can be identified."

Potape said he would recognise clans and sub-clan through a ministerial determination published in the National Gazette as beneficiaries of all benefits