“…the PNGFA could be so irresponsible and bring their staff who as far as I know have not been tested and cleared of COVID19 and send them to remote parts of Oro.”

By Garry Juffa, Hon. Governor for Oro Province | 06 Aug 2020

Dear people of Oro,

I am very disappointed to report that a team of Forestry Officials and Policemen from Port Moresby arrived under very covert circumstances without the knowledge of my Administration or myself were planning to visit Musa and Collingwood under very odd and strange circumstances.

I have informed Minister Forests that a proper meeting is required where my office will inform my citizens of affected areas to be present to air their views. He has agreed to this and that event is in its planning stages.

I will not do anything in Oro without my peoples consent and knowledge and the covert secret hotel room dealings where just a select group of compliant easily bribed landowners will be chosen to participate are NOT what we want.

During these difficult times of COVID19 it is absolutely shocking that the PNGFA could be so irresponsible and bring their staff who as far as I know have not been tested and cleared of COVID19 and send them to remote parts of Oro.

Are our Malaysian logging cartels so exempt from our laws including the Pandemic Act? Just today we served a court order which orders no logging or movement of logs from the illegal logging site at Ifane as they about busily transporting round logs to Oro bay. Are Malaysian logging companies exempt from our judicial system and laws?

Meanwhile, I have informed the Minister of his Departments actions and he has stated he is unaware and will get back to us.

If he is unaware why are they here and what are they doing here and who funded them and what is their purpose here?

Our public servants MUST understand that their roles and responsibilities are to SERVE AND PROTECT the people of PNG and guard PNG interests NOT serve the interests of foreign companies who do not respect our laws and our courts and do as they please at will and whim. THIS IS NOT TAKE BACK PNG as far as I am concerned.

People of Musa and Collingwood we have directed the team NOT to travel to your locations as they are NOT COVID19 cleared. With community transmission of COVID19 rapidly escalating in NCD where the team live it is very risky for them to travel into Oro and to remote parts of Oro.

As far as we are concerned and we your Provincial Government have no knowledge of their presence and business and intentions.

I shall be demanding an explanation from the PNGFA Minister and his MD on this very strange and dubious visit.

By Garry Juffa, Hon. Governor for Oro Province | 06 Aug 2020

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