Five new outboard motors will be busy at work along the Fly River in Western province to serve close to hundreds of village communities in their daily lives including helping them access basic services in Daru town.

MRDC’s Imbi Tagune (Left) presenting the boats to three of five Directors of MRCMCA, L-R Kime Sumai, MRDC OK Tedi Liaison officer Alex Wapia, Dabra Sunakiyae and Kamen Arawok in Daru Town Wharf last Thursday.

The five communities are part of the Community Mine Continuation Agreement (CMCA) Regions along the Fly River in the Western Province affected by the Ok Tedi Mine, who now own 12 per cent of the Mine through the States 33 per cent share transfer.

The boats were purchased by the Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC) at the request of the directors on the board of Mineral Resources CMCA limited, their trustee company and officially handed over to the directors of MRCMCA by MRDC witnessed by their people in Daru town last Thursday (21/02/19).

Costing close to K250, 000 the five (5) boats came complete with a 60 horsepower (hp) motor each including life jackets to serve the five communities, the Kiwaba, Manawete, Dudi, Suki Fly Gogo and Middle fly regions.

MRDC Imbi Tagune, General Manager External Affairs when presenting the boats told the people of CMCA that they should be proud that they are 12 per cent owners of a 100 per cent nationally owned mine.

“Today is a start of many great things, the mine will be here for the next 23 years, there is more to come. Our role is to work with your directors to advise them on how to best serve your needs through the revenue you receive from the mine.

“We have to focus on sustainably after the mine ends, we must work together to deliver services to you”, said Tagune.

He encouraged the directors to live and continue to engage with their people, through these boats to keep their people informed of how the company is performing and to find out what their needs are so they are able to assist them.

He assured them that MRDC would continue to work together with MRCMCA to ensure their community’s needs are met through such purchases as the boats.

He also thanked the leaders for working hard and helping to create MRCMCA as a company to bring benefits and services to the impacted communities on the Fly River.

CMCA Manawete Region Director Kamen Arawak thanked MRDC for managing their funds prudently and in good governance.

He told his people, MRCMCA in its first year of operation, has carried out 2 major investments with the help and advise of MRDC.

“We became shareholders of Kina Securities, and we have made a business arrangement with MRDC to own a prime commercial property in lae, the ANZ house, he said.

MRCMCA is the trustee company established under MRDC to manage the CMCA communities’ 12 per cent shareholding in the Ok Tedi Mine.