Butibam village landowners sign multi-million kina agreement

By MALUM NALU

 

Landowners from the six clans of Butibam village, Lae, last Saturday signed an agreement to work together with their company, Butibam Progress Ltd, in a multi-million kina contract to supply gravel to the Lae Port Tidal Basin Project.

Last Saturday’s signing follows an initial agreement signed last month between China Harbour and Butibam Progress Ltd for supply of gravel.

Butibam Progress Ltd chairman Paul Gware signs the agreement on behalf of the company as managing director Peter Kesu Sayama and clan leaders look on.

Leaders of the six Butibam clans – Agactuc, Wapiguhuc, Busurum, Apo, Tumata and Gwatu – signed the agreement last Saturday at the Melanesian Hotel.

Clan leaders and Butibam Progress Ltd management toast to the signing of the agreement.

Butibam Progress managing director Peter Kesu Sayama said the agreement bound the company together with China Harbour.

“Initially, we signed an agreement with China Harbour for supply of gravel for the Lae Port Tidal Basin Project,” he said.

Butibam Progress Ltd managing director Peter Kesu Sayama

“This one binds the landowners with Butibam Progress Ltd.

“It shows to stakeholders that we are all working together.

“It gives the green light for Butibam Progress Ltd to go ahead with business.

“We landowners have been mere spectators to business developments in Lae over the years.

“We have not been participating in business.

“This is our commitment to work together.

“For too long, we have not had this kind of opportunity.”

Kesu Sayama said supply of gravel to the Lae Port Tidal Basin Project would serve as the springboard for new business opportunities around Papua New Guinea as major infrastructure projects required gravel.

“We’re very optimistic about what is happening,” he said.

“It’s working in line with the vision of our company.”

Kesu Sayama also agreed with Morobe Governor Kelly Naru’s statement at the Ahi Festival last month that Ahi people had been missing out on business opportunities in Lae.

“We’ve been missing out big time,” he said.

“We have not been productive.

“People from outside have been coming in and coming in.

“We really need to raise up ourselves now.

“We’ve missed out big time on a lot of opportunities.”

Economist Dhenny Benson said: “There are so many resources in Lae.

“Lae City is a resource centre where landowners must be involved.

“Butibam Progress Ltd has been reorganised as a landowner company.

“Stability (economic) of centres like Lae also depends on political support.”