07-03-2013, 01:05 PM
As things crawl ahead on negotiations with Exxon LOs are jostling for claims to the riches like friends and relatives of someone who just won the lottery. Per Duma some time ago, proper LO identification and social mapping has been done. But people will still try.
"Gulf LNG set to bring more benefits for PNG
By Paeope Ovasuru
THE Gulf LNG is set to bring about more economic and social benefits for the people and the country as a whole.
However, one important factor that has not been properly established is who the rightful landowners are. Chairman of the Kemei Landowners Association in the Baimuru district, Kemo’o Avae, came to the Post-Courier office
with documents claiming that his clan is the rightful landowners of the Elk and Antelope gas project area.
He claimed that social mapping done in 2005 and 2010 never included his local level government area, where the project is located. He said the people claiming to be the rightful landowners and with whom InterOil, the provincial government and the national government are dealing with are settlers.
“There needs to be a new social mapping done to establish who the legitimate landowners are. In the first two social mapping exercises, my people were not included
and so we stand to miss out on the benefits of this project,” said Mr Avae.
He added that his clan owns the land on which Antelope 1, 2, 3 are located.
“The project area is not fully on the Purari River. It is on one of the tributaries of the Purari River where my village is located,” he explained, showing a sketch map of the area. He pointed out that his landowner association has been recognized by the Department of Minning and Petroleum, however, InterOil has not responded favorably to their requests to meet and discuss the project.
Mr Avae is calling on the developer InterOil, the Gulf provincial government and the National Government to establish who the legitimate landowners are before progressing with the project.
Gulf Governor Havila Kavo when asked recently about the on-going calls by different landowner groups to establish legitimate landowners and to stop InterOil from going into negotiations with Exxon Mobil said he will support his people in their call against Exxon Mobil.
As with the issue on establishing landownership, he said the University of Papua New Guinea carried out social mapping in 2010 which is been used to identify the landowners."
