AN ISLAND PEARL

POWI CALLS FOR MOTUKEA TRUTH

BY JEFFREY ELAPA

Motukea was once a small drop of an island in the inner Fairfax Harbour of Port Moresby. 

Motukea lay just beyond Tatana Island towards Koukou. Various landowner groups from the Motu Koita villages each lay claim to or on land surrounding Motukea. 

They include Roku, Tatana, Baruni and Koukou.

It was a small fishing island and quite insignificant as far as shipping was concerned.

Surrounded by mangroves, it lay hidden in its natural beauty, enabling the biodiversity of the coastline.

Just off Motukea was a pearl farm established sometimes in the 60s by a joint venture between Japanese and Australian interests.

In 1975 the pearl farm harvested its last shiny marbles. 

Motukea remained untouched until the turn of the century when the expanding capital of Port Moresby needed a new deep water Harbour.

The city fathers did not have to look far in 2005. Someone mentioned the deep waters of the pearl farm and the adjacent island.

Bingo, a relatively unknown little island became an overnight success with a billion dollar agreement signed for its development in 2015.

Motukea was bulldozed into the sea and flattened to built the new seaport for Port Moresby.

Now the little island is in the limelight as a public inquiry delves into its sale to the government. 

SHP Governor William Powi.

Southern Highlands Governor William Powi was one of those who raised his concern in Parliament last Thursday.

He says the country needs to know the truth about the sale of the Motukea wharf as media reports indicate that the purchase price was inflated.

Governor Powi said as reported in the Post-Courier, the value of the Motukea Wharf sold to the State was increased because of pressure applied to the Valuer General of PNG at that time.

He said according to the report, the Valuer General of PNG, Gabriel Michael, revealed that the actual valuation report by him was about K418 million but he was pressured and influenced to change the amount to K722 million, an increase of almost K300 million.

Mr Powi said this was a serious revelation and the people of PNG and the Parliament needed to know about this transaction.

He called on the Prime Minister, James Marape, to tell the nation if this is true or not and where the increased K300 million had gone to and if a report could be tabled so that taxpayers were made known.

Prime Minister James Marape. 

Mr Marape said in response that the transaction took place in the last Parliament.

He said also that the matter was the subject of a Commission of Inquiry.

He said the transaction was not K700 million as stated by the Governor but was well over K1.2 billion.

“However, I ask the Governor that let’s respect the Commission of Inquiry and wait until a Report is prepared,” Mr Marape said.

“It is over a billion kina transaction that took place for a port that some of us felt that the value was not at K700 million.

“And for the Valuer General to say that he was forced is part of the process of Inquiry that is taking place and given as evidence so let’s allow the Inquiry to complete its course and then we can table the report once complete and for appropriate actions to take course.”

The Inquiry into Motukea will resume next Tuesday, March 29.

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