There has been widespread criticism of the government’s plan for a gold refinery to be run by an unknown company Refinery Holdings Limited based in Singapore.
Photo: 123RF
The Papua New Guinea (PNG) government may delay its controversial National Gold Corporation Bill for another six months to allow for wider stakeholder consultations.
There has been widespread criticism of the government’s plan for a gold refinery to be run by an unknown company Refinery Holdings Limited based in Singapore.
Earlier this week, Transparency International PNG said the bill was being rushed, with insufficient public consultation, creating a significant risk of corruption.
It said this particularly concerned the shareholder agreement signed between the state and the company which had not been made publicly available.
But now The National newspaper reports the Mining Minister Muguwa Dilu telling a stakeholders’ consultative workshop that the government is planning to delay bringing the bill to the House.
### Stakeholder Concerns and Government Response
The consultative workshop had been opened by Prime Minister James Marape and a number of stakeholders raised concerns about the proposed bill.
Marape reaffirmed his government’s unwavering commitment to PNG having its own gold refinery, saying the government wants to add value to the country’s natural resources.
However, Dilu mentioned in his address the importance of reviewing the bill based on overwhelming consensus among stakeholders, emphasizing the key principle of proper consultation and free and prior consent for accessing the country’s natural resources.
### Marape’s Commitment to Transparency
Meanwhile, the Post-Courier reports that Marape is set to make a statement to Parliament later this month, detailing how his administration, during his five years in power, has prioritized transparency to a greater extent than any previous administrations.
There has been widespread criticism of the government’s plan for a gold refinery to be run by an unknown company Refinery Holdings Limited based in Singapore.
Photo: 123RF
The Papua New Guinea (PNG) government may delay its controversial National Gold Corporation Bill for another six months to allow for wider stakeholder consultations.
There has been widespread criticism of the government’s plan for a gold refinery to be run by an unknown company Refinery Holdings Limited based in Singapore.
Earlier this week, Transparency International PNG said the bill was being rushed, with insufficient public consultation, creating a significant risk of corruption.
It said this particularly concerned the shareholder agreement signed between the state and the company which had not been made publicly available.
But now The National newspaper reports the Mining Minister Muguwa Dilu telling a stakeholders’ consultative workshop that the government is planning to delay bringing the bill to the House.
### Stakeholder Concerns and Government Response
The consultative workshop had been opened by Prime Minister James Marape and a number of stakeholders raised concerns about the proposed bill.
Marape reaffirmed his government’s unwavering commitment to PNG having its own gold refinery, saying the government wants to add value to the country’s natural resources.
However, Dilu mentioned in his address the importance of reviewing the bill based on overwhelming consensus among stakeholders, emphasizing the key principle of proper consultation and free and prior consent for accessing the country’s natural resources.
### Marape’s Commitment to Transparency
Meanwhile, the Post-Courier reports that Marape is set to make a statement to Parliament later this month, detailing how his administration, during his five years in power, has prioritized transparency to a greater extent than any previous administrations.
