No one is stealing Ok Tedi mine from anyone : Zeming

Port Moresby (The National): FISHERIES and Marine Resources Minister Mao Zeming has called on Sir Mekere Morauta to stop using the words “stealing” and “expropriation” when talking about Parliament’s decision to vest full control of the Ok Tedi mine in the State.

“Sir Mekere must respect the decision of Parliament,” he said.

“After all, he used the same Parliament in 2001 to push through the laws that set up the PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd, and deny the people their right to sue for full and proper compensation for damage done to their environment and to their lives.

“I was a cabinet minister in his government then. I owned up to our mistake and voted to pass the bills yesterday (Wednesday) to undo that mistake. For Sir Mekere, it might be personally hurtful for him. 

“He should be a true nationalist, accept he was part of a wrong decision and not use words like “stealing” and “expropriation”.

“These words are very damaging to the image of our country. 

“No one stole anything from anyone. The Bills we passed merely corrected a wrong decision we made in 2001. 

“The Bills require the State to pay a fair value for the shares in Ok Tedi that it is acquiring. Sir Mekere knows all about determining fair value. 

“At his insistence, the government under his leadership pushed through the sale of PNG Banking Corporation to Bank South Pacific at the price he determined to be fair value.”