OPIC leadership woes queried

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, August 14, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

WEST New Britain Governor Sasindra Muthuvel has raised concerns of ongoing leadership woes in in the Oil Palm Industry Corporation (OPIC) that has been plagued with malpractice allegations.

“I ask the question on behalf of all the Oil Palm Growers in the four provinces. Is the minister aware of the issues surrounding the appointment of the General Secretary for OPIC.”

“OPIC is funded by the farmers and not the government- they fund it by the levy that is deducted per tonne of K4 to K6 per tonne.”

“OPIC has been inactive for the last two years. If the minister can intervene and bring in much needed restructure and also to make a permanent appointment for the general secretary position for OPIC,” the Governor asked.

In his reply, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Tommy Tomscoll, affirmed OPIC’s status as a organization funded by Oil Palm farmers and not by Government, giving an update on the issues surrounding the organization’s leadership uncertainty.

“OPIC is not a board regulating the Oil Palm Industry, it is an organization for the farmers and they themselves fund it.”

“Oil Palm industry is a big industry in Papua New Guinea but does not have a board. We proposed a board, but those papers are still with government and have not come through yet.”

He referred to the current Acting General Secretary Leslie Wundo who he said was facing allegations by police of double dipping.

“It is clear that Leslie is facing allegation of double dipping accommodation rentals,” the minister said.

“When those allegations were raised- interested parties who were interested in that position came and I told them that those were allegations and that I was not the police for those allegations to be dealt with.”

“The allegations were that he was in an institutional house which they paid at the same time he received housing allowances included in his salary package.”

The minister further explained upon the allegations- the Ministerial Appointments Committee was looking at formulations on nominees for the position in light of the situation.