Photo: Barrick CEO and President Mark Bristow addressing PJV Town Hall meeting at Porgera Mine site during a quaterly visit in 2022
Barrick Niugini Limited (BNL) has clarified in a media statement that the Porgera Mine remains and is progressing in a care and maintenance mode of operation and that the current defined rehiring process of the skilled workforce is only to assist with ongoing maintenance work carried out in the mine.
A protest was held in Porgera on Friday (6th January) claiming that Barrick's current recruitment process was improperly overlooking unemployed locals within the Special Mining Lease area. Barrick Niugini Limited has completely opposed these claims.
Since the closure of the mine, Porgera was placed into care and maintenance operations in April 2020, BNL has invested more than K1 billion in maintaining its integrity in the hope and expectation that the various structural and regulatory conditions for its reopening can be satisfied to allow for its reopening.
While these conditions have not yet been satisfied, BNL has approved limited maintenance work on plant infrastructure and the repairing of mobile equipment, with rehabilitation work on the open pit and underground sections of the mine.
The ongoing maintenance at the mining site requires highly skilled and experienced work personnel to ensure that operational readiness is maintained, the company said in a statement.
“BNLs recruitment policy is based on transparency and best practice and gives first preference to skilled and experienced workers with the best-recorded performances who are based in Porgera,” it said.
Due to a limited pool of local workers that need the necessary requirements for the current ongoing work, Barrick highlighted that they had to rehire a small number of skilled workers from beyond Porgera and within Enga and PNG. Most of these workers are on short-term contracts.
BNL claims that certain individuals have been creating false exploitations of employment by unskilled youth in Porgera and spreading baseless claims and rumours of inappropriate hiring practices by the company.
“The current maintenance work at the Porgera Mine, however, requires specific skill sets so that safety and other important requirement are properly compiled. As with any other professional organisation, BNL has stated and made a firm stance that it would not recruit a person with unsatisfactory employment or community history,” it said.
Once the mine restarts the new Porgera will commence the “historically successful” job-ready programme for the benefit of youths in Porgera, the company added.
Job Ready Program provides the best avenue for inexperienced local youth to enter the mining workforce and has produced skilled miners who are now employed at Porgera as well as other mines in PNG and abroad.
It is also the responsibility of local leaders to work with the Government and other stakeholders to invest in training and other opportunities for the youths in Porgera.
BNL has made its stance clear that any threat to the Porgera mine assets or employees and contractors will be immediately referred to the relevant authorities.
