Transcript
WERA MORI: We've already lodged the application. It's now in China. And that will be further taken up when the prime minister is in China (for a Belt and Road Initiative event in Beijing) in April.
JOHNNY BLADES: What will happen with that money?
WM: Under this they can build the two wharves: the fishing wharf, and the main wharf, the container wharf.
JB: And will that be done by a Chinese contractor or will it go out to an open tender, those contracts?
WM: It's going to go to an open tender.
JB: There have been loans in the past for this project, but it never got off the ground. Do you think this will be any different?
WM: No, that is not correct. There's been no loan in the past on this project.
JB: You told me in 2017 that the government had signed a concessional loan (for this project) that you'd be drawing down... it's the same one is it?
WM: Yes. That's the same one.
JB: You said that you were waiting on the Auditor-General because you had mentioned the government had spent 30 million kina, but you told me there had been very little to show for 30 million kina spent on the PMIZ. All there was was a gate, and a bit of road.
WM: And fence as well.
JB: Fence, yes. That wouldn't have cost that much, would it?
WM: I wouldn't comment on that. I'm not party to that (decision by a previous government).
JB: You were going to look for answers from the Auditor-General to look at the books. Did they ever get to the bottom of that?
WM: This is a process. All public funds must be audited by the Auditor-General. And the onus is now on the Auditor-General to basically conduct its audit. I cannot determine as to when they come and audit the books. But the onus is on them.
JB: And what's the concept of PMIZ, is it still that there will be a number of fishing fleets that will use it and process fish in the zone?
WM: What we want to do is basically have up to ten off-takers to come here and set up their canneries, and use the facilities. We will give them the fishing licenses. for them to come and be able to establish their factories here, go out and fish in PNG waters as well as our exclusive zones, and also - due to the fact we are part of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement - also the Central Pacific waters which are basically covered by that convention. And we would want them to at least process the fish up here in Madang, so that it can be exported out as a PNG product.
JB: What about for other countries in the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, if the fish is caught in their waters will it still be branded a PNG product?
WM: No what will basically happen is that we are also inviting them to partake in this project, because we want to make sure we export a finished product from our region. And we'll be taking up discussions and dialogue with them so that at least they can come in and participate in this major venture.
