Villagers stop work at scrapper station

By JEFFREY ELAPA

LANDOWNERS in Kikori, Gulf, have forced the contractor and French-owned company, Spiecapag Niugini Ltd, to stop construction work at the scrapper station at Omati, The National reports.

Spiecapag had been contracted by Esso Highlands Ltd to carry out work on the PNG LNG gas pipeline from Hides in the Southern Highlands to Portion 152 near Port Moresby through Kikori.

Early last week, landowners at Kaiam, also in Kikori, burnt several CCJV vehicles and machineries because they were frustrated that their landowner umbrella company, Greenfield Resources Investment Ltd, was not awarded any sub-contracts.

They also attributed their frustrations to the government’s delay in releasing the business development grants for landowners to start spin-off businesses.

Gulf provincial police commander Snr Insp Reuben Giusu yesterday confirmed the incident.

He said police had been informed and had dispatched a mobile unit from Kopi to the area.

However, they could do little because the villagers had only blocked construction work and had not done any damages to properties which were all on traditional land.

Reports said the contractor, Esso Highlands and the landowners would meet today to discuss the matter.

Landowners also warned that the blockage would continue if their demands were not met.

The villagers had also questioned the establishment of Kikori Energy Resources, allegedly set up by employees of Esso Highlands, and its interests in the project.

Gulf leaders give 14-day ultimatum

By WALLACE KIALA

KIKORI landowners and the West Kikori local level government in Gulf have petitioned Esso Highlands Ltd to engage their umbrella company in contract work and to immediately release all business development grants earmarked under segment seven of the LNG project, The National reports.

In their petition, addressed to Esso

Highlands’ Peter Graham, the landowners stated that the company’s failure to do so would result in a stop-work of construction activities within the Kaiam ferry crossing to the Omati landfall.

They have given the company 14 days to respond to their demands.

In their two-point petition, the landowners wanted Esso Highlands to immediately:

• Engage Greenfield Resources Investment Ltd in contract works with the LNG pipeline construction; and
• Release all business development grants, earmarked under segment seven of the LNG project, to Greenfield Resources Investment Ltd.

Meanwhile, Kikori Oil Pipeline Landowners Association (KOPLA) chairman Bomsy Boviro yesterday claimed that the destruction caused to Curtain Clough Joint Venture (CCJV) heavy machineries and the attack on its workers last week was due to the government’s delay in paying landowners their business development grants.

He said although the Department of Petroleum and Energy had allocated funds, the facilitating government agency, Department of Commerce, had not release of the payments.

“With the full construction of the LNG project set to begin next month, there is a lot of uncertainty causing anxiety among the people; the people want to get their business activities off the ground,” Boviro said.

Police, in the meantime, are still looking for the suspects involved in torching CCJV’s truck and machineries.

Gulf provincial police commander Snr Insp Reuben Giusu said although no arrests had been made, the situation on the ground had been contained.