Photo credit: Porgera Joint Venture
When the Porgera mine reopens, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says 3,500 former employees would be given "first consideration for jobs."
According to him, the government had requested that all former mine personnel be given priority consideration. Marape was responding to a question about the Porgera Mine and Allied Workers Union urging the government to "honour the commitment to compensate the 3,500 Papua New Guineans who were made redundant by Porgera Joint Venture as a result of the Government's decision not to renew the special mining lease."
The union claims that the government committed to compensating ex-employees and that they have submitted a request, but that the government has not answered.
The Porgera Mine and Allied Workers Union issued the following statement, “On Jul 27, 2020, executives and the Trade Union Congress met with Marape to air the grievances of the 3,500 plus redundant former employee. “At this meeting, Marape committed to pay K26 million-plus as compensation to the former employees, to date, this has yet to eventuate,” the statement said.
When asked, Marape said: “When we make a commitment, it is always honoured. A commitment is a commitment.”
The union said: “The patience of the Porgera mine employees, landowners, contractors and the entire benefit chain have run out, the first follow up of our submission was to the National Executive Council last July and the second was on Dec 2 through Labour and Industrial Relations Minister Tomait Kapili, but again, there was no response from the Government.”
Reference: Pacific Mining Watch (11 March 2022). “PNG PM Marape Urges Porgera Mine Operator to reinstate over 3500 former Employees”.
