PNG needs more Transparent Leaders
By RENATA LAVEILL What do Papua New Guineans make of the OK Tedi Mining Ltd takeover by the O’Neill-Dion led government? How do we as Papua New Guineans interpret the stance taken by the government to claim the 52% share previously held by Papua New Guinea Sustainable Development Program? What are the stakes here? As by wrestling more than half the shares previously held by the predecessor, the government now takes full ownership of OTML plus the K450 million annual share in dividends with fears of depleting the Long Term Fund worth currently at US$ 1.8 billion. This last week saw the government pass a couple of significant bills; the first being to stake its claim on the OTML and the second to secure its term in parliament, or power more likely. What does the government have to offer the people of Papua New Guinea as justification over its takeover of the shares held by PNGSDP? Why just now make noise over that huge financial slice and the ramifications experienced since the start of