FORESTS Minister and Namatanai MP, Walter Schnaubelt has ordered an investigation into the K400 million Lihir Gold Mine royalty funds paid by Newcrest to the New Ireland Provincial Government each month.
Minister Schnaubelt announced today at a press conference that he has formally engaged the Director of the Criminal Investigation Division Chief Inspector Joel Simatab (pictured below) to begin the investigations.
“Today was my fifth attempt to try to get an investigation instituted on the Lihir royalty funding received to date over K400 million since 2007.
“I am happy to announce that a copy of this letter has been given to the Director of Criminal Investigation Detective Chief Inspector Joel Simatab. He received the letter today from me and will progress with it accordingly to determine the criminal investigation procedures and the allegations that I put forward that K400 million of the royalty money has been misused.
“Despite the Lihir MOA that indicated clearly that out of the 50 per cent that the Provincial Government receives on a monthly basis, 20 per cent will be given to the Namatanai district treasury and 20 per cent to the Kavieng District Treasury and the New Ireland Government retains 10 per cent for its administrative responsibilities.
“I said this in the past and I am saying it again that my Namatanai district has not received to date 0.1 toea of that money.
“Unfortunately, since 2007 when Sir Julius was elected as the Governor, funding to the district was then restricted. And I believe the restriction was based on political differences.
“Due to the lack of service delivery, I am now questioning where that K400 million has gone to. I would like to ask the Provincial Government to explain where the K400 million has gone to and which projects. I am pushing through because there are no acquittal reports of these funds.
“This is why I want to ask where the funds for Namatanai and Kavieng district have gone to,” Mr Schnaubelt said.
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