Salt project plans go to authorities
Copyright 2000 Post Courier (PNG)
December 6, 2000
“APPROPRIATE plans’’ for the construction of the $US10 million salt project in the Central province have been submitted by the Department of Trade and Industry to authorities.
DTI industry director Augus Wialu confirmed yesterday that the construction design plans had been submitted to authorities such as the NCDC Physical Planning Board and the NCDC Building Board for approval. Eda Ranu approval has been given.
Mr Wialu said the building and construction plans have been redrawn and improved to meet PNG statutory requirements and are expected to be approved sometime this week or next week.
Mr Wialu said that while the Central Province land court decision on land matters was pending, landowners had agreed to work together to participate in the construction phase of the project.
He said landowner leadership and land matters had kept the landowners of Papa and Lealea from taking part in the construction of the salt lakes and the refinery site.
Mr Wialu said the construction at the salt lake at Papa was about 5 to 7 per cent complete while construction of the refinery where the salt packaging will take place is 50 per cent complete.
“Under the MOU signed, the project will continue and landowners will have to sort out their differences and participate in the construction phase. While the construction is going on and there are continuing problems, landowners will miss out in participating in the construction phase,” Mr Wialu said.
Trade and Industry Minister John Tekwie visited the landowners at Papa village on Monday and was taken on a tour of the salt lake outside the village. Mr Tekwie met with the villagers to get them to sort out their differences and work with him to start up the salt project, which he said had taken up more than 20 years with little or no progress.