Fishy business. The Social Impact of SST.pdf - Act Now!

Landowners are also deeply disturbed that they are either not allowed to buy shares in thefactory, or the base price of a block of shares is too expensive for them.21/6/05 Kreer Village interview with Philip Teriseng. Philip was once employed by SPBrewery as a technical engineer. He left and returned home, and in 1993 was elected asChairman of Kreer Development Corporation (KDC). On June 25, 1982, the PNG HarboursBoard paid the KDC K115,000 in a cheque for environmental damages to the waterfront,presented by Minister for Transport Mr. Neville Bourne. From the compensation money theKDC went into business, and bought shares with Wewak Coast flats ip Wewak Hill. However,the KDC has outstanding debts amounting to K75,000. Philip found it very difficult to manageKDC so he left due to mismanagement, he says. On September 2, 1998, Philip with hisclansmen the Black Koki line of Karaga clan organized themselves and formed the KDC, andregistered it with the IPA. KDC was formed because they were the rightful owners of the landunder the loinery. Karaga Stevedoring is a KDC subsidiary company. The land at Kreer villagedown to the loinery and the Harbours Board and wharf was under a Native Land Lease,meaning it was not State land. In 2003 the KDC with the PNG Harbours Board and the ESPGsigned an MOU for the tuna project. Portion 124 of Section 36 Allotment 27 was divided intotwo Native land Deeds. Allotment 27 (a) 439 is where the loining factory stands, and (b) 1445 iswhere the dredge pumps sand onto the land. The Harbours is said to be the owners of the land,and it is to them that SST pays rent.Lately this year 3 months earlier SST contracted KDC with two spin-off businesses—theReceiving and the Butchering sections of the loinery. The first shift runs from 8 AM to 4 PM,with 30 workers; [second shift runs from 4 to 12?]; the third shift runs from 12 to 8 AM with30 workers. KDC was contracted for a 3 month probation, after which SST will decide onsigning a contract with them or not.Problems with loinery:• Wages are very low• Lunchtime food is not enough• Workers stand for 6 hours• Supervisors clock out for workers• Expatriate unskilled workers in factory• No training for national staff• SST pays expatriate travel fees• Workers complained to the HR Manager about their pay and their working conditions,but the HR Manager never notified the GM.Environmental problems:• Fish species destroyed• Sea shell species destroyed• Crabs and prawns destroyed• Special sago on site destroyed• Various plants and trees destroyed• Flying fox hunting ground destroyed• Reef destroyed• Air pollution reaches Kreer Heights, Boys Town and Sauria Village• Two big stones where fish used to breed were dynamited for loinery construction123