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.
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.
But Dilu said, in his address, that he would advise the Prime Minister and the Speaker that there is overwhelming consensus that the bill must be reviewed.
"We all know that our country is a Melanesian country and its all consensus based, and this is the fundamental ideal or principle on which our Constitution was based on including all the by-laws and Acts of Parliament," Dilu was quoted byThe National.
"And if you want access the natural resources of this land, we must also seek free and prior consent and this can come about through proper consultation. And that is why we are here today to go through this process," he said.
Meanwhile the Post-Courier reports the Marape is to make a statement to Parliament later this month detailing how, in his five years in power, his administration has been much more transparent than any that have come before.
