JUSTICE WILL EVENTUALLY PREVAIL IN THE PORGERA VALLEY OF THE SO CALLED "NEW PORGERA DEAL" THAT BINDED PMJM, GOV IPATAS & BRISTOW NO LONGER EXISTS

The New Porgera

The Pacific Guardian

Port Moresby

08th April, 2025

The so called "New Porgera deal" has become a defining moment in Papua New Guinea’s resource management history, exposing governance flaws and the exclusion of the rightful landowners from key decision-making. The collaboration between Prime Minister James Marape, Governor Ipatas, and Mark Bristow has left many questioning the integrity and fairness of the process.

For five years, crucial legacy issues reference the environmental degradation, human rights violations, tax policies, and relocation challenges that have remained unaddressed. The people of Enga have watched as their calls for justice were ignored, while corporate interests took precedence. Instead of inclusive decision-making, the process reportedly involved fraudulent landowner signatures and bypassing due parliamentary scrutiny, undermining the integrity of governance.

The escalating lawlessness around the Porgera mine site is a direct consequence of these failures. The comparison to Bougainville serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of mishandling such situations. The call for justice and accountability resonates strongly, emphasizing the need for leaders to address legacy issues and ensure that agreements are fair and inclusive. Deploying armed forces is a short-term solution that risks exacerbating tensions rather than addressing the root causes of community unrest.

Additionally, the 51/49 deal, hailed by some as ground-breaking, has proven to be financially unviable for local shareholders. The absence of dividends for Kumul, EOG, and landowners for the next decade due to vendor finance loans makes this arrangement one of the most commercially flawed deals seen in PNG’s history.

Beyond economic loss, the marginalisation of Engan businesses has been devastating. Subcontracts have been handed to outsiders, forcing local enterprises into collapse seen as an insult to those who fought for economic participation and sustainable development.

Now, as the political landscape shifts with the Vote of No Confidence, alliances are being tested. The power dynamics that once controlled decision-making appear to be unravelling, and justice may finally find its place in Porgera. Mark Bristow’s influence is waning, and his efforts to consolidate his position within Barrick may indicate an exit strategy.

The people of Enga have endured enough. Their rightful place in resource negotiations must be reinstated, and those responsible for disregarding their voices should be held accountable. Justice is not just a distant hope and it is inevitable. The people will not be silenced, and their fight for fairness will prevail