Post Courier - March 15, 2019
TUGUBA tribe, the principal landowners of Hides PDL 1 and PDL 7, have warned Petroleum Minister Fabian Pok they will seek legal challenge to the ministerial determination on the LOBID process.
The eight paramount chiefs of Tuguba tribe were upset that they were not invited to the signing ceremony last weekend, which was a low key event and did not involve the principal landowners of the Hides gas resource.
Their appointed spokesmen, Richard Takima for PDL 1 and Erick Hawai Ako for PDL 7, said in a joint statement yesterday the chiefs have accorded them the powers of attorney to challenge the ministerial determination in a court of law.
“The eight paramount chiefs of Tuguba tribe, who are the principal landowners of Hides PDL 1 and PDL 7, have entrusted us through powers of attorney to deal with all matters relating to our gas resources in Hides,” they said.
“They are particularly upset that Dr Pok rushed the signing of the ministerial determination last weekend after PDL 1 and PDL 7 fully supported and cooperated in with the government team in the recent clan vetting exercise in Hides.
“The minister was aware that our chiefs had returned to Port Moresby after the clan vetting exercise to resolve outstanding issues, including the non-payment of K6.5 million for legal and other liabilities. These bills were incurred last year while our chiefs and clan leaders were trying to protect and recover project security funds worth K15 million that were paid by the Department of Petroleum to a fake authority in 2017.
“Yet, Dr Pok chose to ignore the plight of our paramount chiefs and left them stranded in Port Moresby while he returned quietly to Hides to sign the ministerial determination, which was witnessed by some government officials and a handful of landowners from other tribes.
“We want to remind the minister that these eight paramount chiefs of Tuguba tribe are the rightful owners of Hides gas in PDL 1 and PDL 7 as well as the proposed Muruk gas development. Our gas resource is the main supply for the PNGLNG project and the Hides to Porgera gas.” PNG TokStret Loop PNG.
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