The National After years of struggle, the Yandera people in Madang, where Marengo Mining is developing a world-class mine, have finally registered their association with the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA). Local Usino-Bundi MP, Anton Yagama, handed the certificate at Yandera village last Thursday. This was witnessed by the Madang Governor Jim Kas, Moses Mambu of Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) and Les Emery and Sir Rabbie Namaliu of Marengo. Receiving the certificate, landowner spokesman John Barre thanked Kas and Yagama, MRA and Marengo Mining for their understanding and support. He said with the association being recognised, they were now in a better position to participate meaningfully in the development of Yandera project. He said landowners owned the resource, meaning under customary law, anything under land belonged to the people. For Yandera project, it is the landowners who are stakeholders and it is for them that the association was formed. “Now that we have the association registered, we would like to inform the developer (Marengo Mining) and the government that they cannot dictate us what to do,” Barre said. “We, as partners, would like to have equal participation and determine for ourselves what we want to do and for our future generation.” But despite that he said they still needed funds to operate independently and consequently hold election and elect their executives. “We ask Governor (Kas) and MRA to assist with capital so that this will give us power to function properly as an independent body,” Barre said. He said they needed to organise and set up an umbrella company before the project went into construction and production stages. Kas committed K100,000 which would be made available in the 2013 Madang provincial budget. “I will provide this money but it is up to you to use it in a way that will strengthen you,” he said. ......................................................... http://ramumine.wordpress.com/author/ramunickel/ .........................................................
Barre seems to have an attitude problem.
MGO Price at posting:
16.0¢ Sentiment: None Disclosure: Held
