MMJV handovers portable sawmills to villages - Morobe Mining ...
MMJV handovers portable sawmills to villages - Morobe Mining ...
MMJV handovers portable sawmills to villages - Morobe Mining ...
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<strong>MMJV</strong> hands over <strong>portable</strong> <strong>sawmills</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>villages</strong><br />
News Release<br />
July 18, 2013<br />
<strong>Morobe</strong> <strong>Mining</strong> Joint Ventures (<strong>MMJV</strong>) has handed over three <strong>sawmills</strong> <strong>to</strong> Gingen, Dengea<br />
and Timini <strong>villages</strong> of Wafi-Golpu Project area this week as part of the Community<br />
Participation Agreement (CPA) between the <strong>villages</strong> and the company.<br />
Upon presenting these <strong>sawmills</strong> <strong>to</strong> the respective <strong>villages</strong> CPA committee members, <strong>MMJV</strong><br />
officials said this symbolises the company’s commitment of working <strong>to</strong>gether <strong>to</strong> participate<br />
in community development.<br />
Timber is expensive <strong>to</strong> buy and with these <strong>sawmills</strong>, it would help the community <strong>to</strong><br />
produce timber for building individual houses, community halls and churches that would<br />
help transform the village.<br />
Jack Karali, Wafi-Golpu Project’s Community Agreement Superintendent, explained <strong>to</strong> the<br />
people that the agreement was put in place <strong>to</strong> help communities improve their living<br />
standards.<br />
Mr Karali said CPA was different from the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) because the<br />
Wafi-Golpu Project has not developed any mines yet. He said the CPA was set up <strong>to</strong> help<br />
communities establish themselves and transition in<strong>to</strong> mining phase.<br />
Eight <strong>villages</strong> have signed the CPA agreement and each has different set of priority projects<br />
that they have agreed <strong>to</strong> under the CPA. For these three <strong>villages</strong>, proper housing was<br />
considered a priority and <strong>to</strong> help them kick start their project, they needed <strong>sawmills</strong> <strong>to</strong> help<br />
produce timber for their houses.<br />
A community leader at Gingen village, Mr Liwai Bing, thanked <strong>MMJV</strong> for honouring its<br />
commitment. “I gat klostu 300 famili long ples na mipela bai bildim wanwan haus bilong<br />
olgeta yet wantaim niupla church. Bihain long dispela mipela tingting long yusim dispela<br />
sawmill long mekim bisnis bilong komuniti (We will build about 300 houses for families in<br />
the village. We will also rebuild our church and after that we will use the sawmill <strong>to</strong> make<br />
money for the community),” he said.<br />
General Manager Sustainability & External Relations, David Wissink, emphasised the<br />
importance of working <strong>to</strong>gether.<br />
He said <strong>MMJV</strong> was the first company in the country <strong>to</strong> come up with the CPA initiative<br />
which was a development agreement between <strong>villages</strong> and <strong>MMJV</strong>.<br />
“CPA is designed <strong>to</strong> work hand in hand with ward development projects and what’s in the<br />
ward development plan will work hand in hand with the CPA agreement,” he explained.<br />
Mr Wissink asked the villagers <strong>to</strong> look after the equipment as it would provide support <strong>to</strong><br />
assisting church work, women’s group programs, education assistance, agriculture and<br />
various projects in the community.
A trainer from Farmset Limited, will be in each <strong>villages</strong> for four days respectively training 16<br />
villagers (six from Gingen, six from Degea and four from Timini) on how <strong>to</strong> use the Lucas<br />
Sawmill.<br />
Picture caption:<br />
CPA 3 – Dengea villagers and officials from <strong>MMJV</strong> showing off their new equipment<br />
Media Enquires:<br />
Jeremy Mark<br />
Ph: 71925111<br />
Email: jeremy.mark@morobejv.com<br />
Website: www.morobejv.com and www.morobeminer.com