Monday 29th October , 2007, Post Courier
Oilers and miners pour into capital city
UP to 900 mining executives and other stakeholders will be converging on
Port Moresby this week as the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum hosts
three seminars.
The seminar series will be started off today by the two-day mining
seminar, followed by a community affairs seminar from Wednesday to
Thursday and will be closed off by a petroleum seminar from Friday to
Saturday. All seminars will be held at the Crown Plaza Hotel ballroom.
According to PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum executive director Greg
Anderson, the seminars would provide a comprehensive update of the
projects, new developments and proposals for development, advanced
prospects, new discoveries and exploration.
The community affairs seminar will highlight current issues, challenges
and initiatives experienced by practitioners in the profession.
There will also be a trade fair where 16 companies will exhibit their
products and services or exploration activities to the delegates.
"As well as providing a comprehensive technical update, these seminars
also offer an excellent opportunity to meet all the players in the PNG
mining and petroleum industry including Government and for joint venture
discussions, networking and promotion," Mr Anderson said.
"Anybody is welcome to attend and apart from industry and government, the
chamber's seminars attract delegates from wider business community, non
government organisations, international agencies and aid organisations,
foreign delegations and interested members of the public."
He said the chamber saw the seminars as an important service to members to
the general public.
"It is important that information on the activities of the mining and
petroleum sectors are freely available to all.
And for this reason the chamber endeavours to keep the registration fees
for the events to a minimum," he said.
The mining seminar will be opened by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
for Lands and Mining Dr Puka Temu while the petroleum seminar will be
opened by Minister for Petroleum and Energy William Duma
Mining strategy set up, The National
By FRANK ASAELI
THE Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) has launched its five-year
corporate
plan to guide the authority towards addressing the needs of the
country's
K7 billion mining industry.
Covering the period 2008-2013, the strategy was launched in conjunction
with the launching of the MRA last Friday night at the Holiday Inn in Port
Moresby.
MRA board chairman Robin Moaina said the launching of the plan marked an
important period in the history of mining in Papua New Guinea.
"It brings hopes, dreams and aspirations to the Government of PNG, its
citizens and industry stakeholders, that the MRA is here for their
benefit," Mr Moaina said.
The plan captures the MRA's strategies on how to achieve its goals and
vision.
The chairman said that MRA's vision was simply to improve the lives of all
Papua New Guineans through the responsible management of the nation's
mineral resources.
He said the MRA board was well-balanced and well-placed in terms of
experience to direct the MRA towards achieving its strategic goals and
objectives.
Mr Moaina said PNG, which is up against many countries that compete for
exploration investment with developed strong industry research and
regulatory functions, was able to present a positive outlook and
investment climate for investors.
"The MRA was created to give PNG the cutting edge in this high-tech and
competitive environment involving multi-national mining corporations," Mr
Moaina.
Vice-Minister of Mining, Ano Pala said MRA's primary function was to
implement Government mining policy.
He said MRA was created to make it easier for the Government,
stakeholders
and landowners to effectively participate in this complex and highly
competitive global industry.
The strategic plan is the operational roadmap that will guide the MRA to
satisfy the mining-related demands of the private sector as well as the
State's interest.