This should put an end to the bruhaha..
From the Post-Courier December 1
By PETER KORUGL
The Government has given its full backing to InterOil Limited to go ahead with its Gulf project.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill informed representatives from the Gulf Provincial Government and InterOil Limited on Tuesday night that when his government came into office, he gave a commitment that the second LNG project must get off the ground.
“I commend the developer’s, their efforts. We will stand together and deliver the second LNG project,” Mr O’Neill said.
He said the final investment decision for the project was expected to be made at the end of this year and the Government’s major concern was for the people of this country to participate meaningfully in resource developments in the country.
“Our people deserve their fair share of benefits from resource developments, become equal participants, not only in LNG but other resource developments in the country. We must learn from mistakes made in other developing countries and avoid them. We have unique opportunities here,” Mr O’Neill said.
Mr O’Neill said God has blessed PNG and the resources must be used for the benefit of everyone.
“We as a government must protect the interest of the people. The Sovereign Welfare Fund was set up to ensure that revenue from the resources are kept there to be used for the benefit of everyone. We want to keep the money on-shore.
“We do not want to keep them on an island that we do not know about or do not even go to visit,” Mr O’Neill said.
He said the legislation for the SWF will be tabled in Parliament next Tuesday and that legislation will make sure that revenues from the resources will be deposited and managed in the country.
The Prime Minister was speaking at a fundraising dinner organised by the Gulf Provincial Government to raise funds for the Gulf Gas Project development expo in Singapore next month.
Gulf Governor Havila Kavo said his government had plans to make Gulf the centre of PNG by connecting the highlands to Kerema, build a free trade zone as well as initiate other projects to turn PNG around.
