HAIVETA: SIR MEKERE MUST STOP MISINFORMATION
MEDIA STATEMENT- Thursday 12th September 2019
PNG Mineral Resources Update.
Gulf Governor Chris Haiveta has urged Moresby North West MP Sir Mekere Morauta to stop peddling misinformation in the media about MRDC and its subsidiaries.
As I said on the floor of parliament last Friday, MPs must be careful and check their background facts properly before raising questions on the floor. He has not heeded this warning and is continuing to peddle misinformation and half-truths in the media using information fed to him by disgruntled ex MRDC employees who breached their employment contracts and ex-landowner board members who breached their fiduciary duties and have been properly removed under the MRDC Act and Trust Deeds by their people.
All the investments Sir Mekere is referring to are investment decisions made by respective subsidiary boards, not MRDC. They are completely independent from each other.
“As a board member of MRDC subsidiary Petroleum Resources Gobe (PRG), I want to assure Sir Mekere that the accounts of PRG are in order.
“These accounts have been audited to 2016, and for the first time they are fully compliant with the Trust Deeds.
“The accounts for 2017 and 2018 are being worked on and will be completed in October this year, in compliance with the Companies Act and other relevant laws.”
Mr Haiveta said the questions about the use of PRG’s K30 million has been dealt with by the Board of PRG and PRK and were commercial transactions.
“The person who raised the allegations in relation to this matter initially was not in the board meeting that authorized the transaction, and does not know what happened even though he received proper notice to attend. NO MONEY WAS STOLEN OR MISAPPROPRIATED FROM PRG, as suggested.”
Mr Haiveta said a full and independent audit is underway into the use of funds in the Star Mountain Plaza Limited project, which will be completed by the end of the month.
“The audit will give us a clear picture of how the funds were spent, including the State’s K316 million.
“I would like to respectfully request Sir Mekere to wait until that report comes out and is made public through the Minister responsible which leads me to question his motives for raising the same issues again and again in the media.
“Is he out to deliberately discredit Prime Minister James Marape, who is the Minister responsible and Shareholder of MRDC, who has given him a commitment on the floor to give a full account of MRDC? Does he not trust Prime Minister Marape’s words of commitment?
Mr Haiveta said the SMPL is a landmark project that is employing over 350 Papua New Guineans directly in Sir Mekere’s Moresby Northwest electorate, and providing other spin off opportunities to communities and families in the electorate and NCD. He should be grateful for the investment and the returns it is providing to his electorate.
“Our Landowners are happy with their investment. It will deliver solid returns. It will provide jobs and spin off opportunities now and into the future. It is now time for action and not just words to show that Sir Mekere stands up and supports his people of Port Moresby Northwest.”
END//:
Approved for Release :,
Hon. Christopher S Haiveta, Gulf Governor, CMG, MP
