Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has made a special appeal to landowners of Petroleum Development License 1 (PDL1) of PNG LNG to work together with Government so they can start receiving their shareholding benefits.

The Prime Minister made the appeal, especially in light of the delay caused by certain landowners not being able to iron out their differences quickly to allow the conclusion of the process so they can be paid their equity and royalty benefits. This has been outstanding since 2014.

Prime Minister Marape said the government was now concluding landowner registration and pushing to have all landowner clans open a bank account so they could start receiving their money.

“As the government and MRDC tries to conclude the process of landowner registration, I want to appeal to all landowners of PDL1. You have to assist us move the process along. This matter has been outstanding for far too long, since first gas flowed in 2014, while your money is piling up in the bank since then,” he said.

Prime Minister Marape called on all leaders of PDL1 landowners to work with the Petroleum department and MRDC to complete the process of landowner clan registration and account opening.

“I want to ask all landowners to lay aside your differences and work with Petroleum Minister Maladina in this transparent process to complete these long, outstanding matters.

“If there are disputes, we should allow the process of dispute resolution to take place. However, one clan should not be standing in the way of other clans getting their benefits because of its issues.

“I am appealing to landowners to support the government conclude registering all beneficiaries of PNG LNG so that benefits of equity and royalties can flow to them.

“Since first gas, it really has been landowners themselves standing in their own way of receiving benefits, with so many court cases and disputes.

“So now that we have started the process of registration and opening bank accounts, we want to complete it now. Landowners have to receive their benefits.”

The Prime Minister further indicated that laws would be strengthened to ensure landowner leaderships are termed and rotated as, he said, this issue has continued to cause stress in project areas.

The government is now changing laws to make sure leaders of landowner groups do not hold office beyond two terms.