Muro Villages make_Peace
A long waited peace and reconciliation ceremony between Huruta and Ere Kilavi villages was held at Muro Catholic Mission Station on the 28th of April, 2023.The ceremony marks the end of a three years conflict between the two villages over parcels of customary land within the Iron Sand Project area in Orokolo, Gulf Province. It was an emotional moment as clan leaders from each village share tears when embracing each other in front of the communities.
Both parties have taken lead in this peace process by contributing pigs and food items to this peace ceremony.
The peace ceremony was concluded with the signing of a MOU between the clan leaders of both villages to formalize the peace treaty.
The entire peace ceremony was witnessed by Hon. Desmond Pahoa (Avavu Ward #1 councillor) and the officers from Mayur Resource Ltd (developer) and SERACS Ltd. SERACS Ltd has been playing a role in the process of negotiation and facilitation of the entire peace process.
PAPUA LNG
Our organisation continues to work in the Oil and Gas sector in PNG, performing a range of tasks including Exploration support of community affairs and provincial consultations. Our work has included undertaking a number of tasks under PNG's Oil and Gas Act 1998. These includes: social mapping and landowner identification studies (Section 47), processes of landowner beneficiary identification, LOBID (Section 169), and planning, coordination and facilitation of Development Forum (Section 48).In line with Section 50 (matters required before the Development Forum), we ensure that customary landowning clans are informed of what gets discussed at the Development Forum, so that they can well equipped and aware of the issues they can advocate for and negotiate at the Development Forum.
Total Energies has to commend for engaging our organisation back in 2018 to undertake the SMLI studies for the Papua LNG Project. We appreciate Total Energies for having trust and confidence in a national company as part of the National and Local Content, consistent with the Local Purchase Obligation under Section 129 of the Oil and Gas Act 1998.Lessons learned from PNG LNG Project on SMLI studies has enabled our team to ensure that proper processes, research methodologies and field land mapping were used for Papua LNG Project SMLI studies. Total Energies, Department of Petroleum and Energy (DPE), Office of the State Solicitor, Gas Project Coordination Office, Kumul Petroleum and National Energy Authority (NEA) had a three days Papua LNG Development Forum Planning Workshop at Loloata Island Resort from 28th to 30th April 2023. Our organisation was invited to participate in the workshop as contractor to Total Energies for the SMLI, LOBID and Development Forum processes.
BISMARK ENERGY KAGUL HYDRO PROJECT
Our role in the Energy Sector in PNG covers range of tasks including Social Mapping and Landowner Identification (SMLI) studies as per Section 81 of the National Energy Authority (NEA) Act 2021, and Land & Socio-economic Impact Assessment, stated under Sub-section 12.6 of the National Energy Policy (NEP) 2017-2027. Recently, our organisation was engaged by Bismarck Energy Ltd to do a scoping work for the SMLI studies for a proposed Hydro Power Project in Imbongu District from 4th to 7th May, 2023.
The project is located in the Lower Kagul LLG of Imbongu District in Southern Highlands Province (SHP).
Bismarck Energy Ltd is currently conducting a feasibility study for the Project, which will include SMLI studies as part of this feasibility work.
The role of the SMLI is to identify genuine landowners of the project so that they can participate in the National Content Forum (Section 80) to discuss benefit sharing from the project with the State, the provincial government, DDA and the LLG.
As per the NEA Act 2021, benefits from the energy projects include Royalty Benefit (Section 82), Equity Benefit (Section 83), Business Development ((Section 85), and Community Development Assistance (Section 86), among others.
Our role, therefore, is to ensure that genuine landowners are identified so that they get their benefits as per the law.
Pic: Our team doing scoping work with the officers from Bismarck Energy Ltd, assisted by locals
MAYUR CENTRAL CEMENT AND LIMESTONE
Central Cement and Limestone (CCL) Project (ML 526) in Central Province is one of the upcoming projects in PNG. The project is expected to contribute immensely to the economy of the country. That will include both direct and indirect benefits to the host province, district, LLG and the landowners, which is in line with the Part VII (Compensation of Landowners) of the Mining Act 1992.
Our organisation has been contracted by Mayur Resource Ltd, the developer of the CCL Project to undertake number of tasks including community affairs, provincial consultations, review of land study (study undertaken in 2019), land boundary demarcation, facilitation of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) MoU, crop counting & forest inventory exercise and planning of garden relocation.
In line with the compensation agreement (Section 156) signed between the developer and the landowners in 2019, our team had conducted a crop counting and forest inventory exercise within the lay down area for the jetty at Kido, from 11th to 15th May, 2023.
The purpose of the exercise was to identify and record the number of gardens, crops and valuable trees that will be affected or damaged by the construction work. Calculations of the crops were done based on the Valuer General Compensation Guide, and guided by principles of compensation (Section 154 of the Mining Act 1992).
To avoid unnecessary claims by unknown garden owners, we ensured that photos of each garden owner with his/her gardens were captured as evidence. Different coloured flagging tapes and codes were used for each garden as a form of identification for cross checking purposes.
Pic: Our officers doing crop counting, assisted by garden owners @Kido
