Greg Anderson P5 Ment P3 P19 Greg Anderson an Industry Stalwart Farewelled
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A NEW G PU U I A N P E A MINING AND PETROLEUM C H Review A M M B U E E R L O O R F T The Chamber is a proud supporter and member MI PE NES AND of the PNG Extractive Industry Transparency Vol 5 Issue 3 & 4 Initiative Multi-stakeholder Group May - August 2017 Q&A with former Cham- MPs briefed on the PNG Frieda River project ber Executive Director resource industry prepares for develop- Greg Anderson P5 ment P3 P19 Greg Anderson An industry stalwart farewelled The founding Executive Director of the PNG Chamber of nior Vice President Mr Peter Aitsi and Vice President Mr Mines and Petroleum Mr Greg Anderson was farewelled Richard Kassman, Chamber members, representatives recently in Port Moresby after clocking over 28 years from the different resource companies, his colleagues, with the organisation. friends and family. Mr Anderson’s retirement from active duty also brings to “His dedication to develop the Chamber into one that a close almost 42 years of dedication and contribution stands tall among other reputable organisations in the towards to the mining and petroleum industry of PNG country must be commended,” Mr Aopi said. since he first arrived in the country in 1975, few months prior to PNG gaining Independence. “Greg ranks highly in this category as someone who has dedicated almost his entire life to the Chamber, the Mr Anderson’s illustrious career began as an Engineer- resource industry and the country he so dearly loved, ing Geologist when he moved to PNG to work with the Papua New Guinea. Greg, I’m sure you have achieved then PNG Geological Survey. More about his career on quite a lot over those years but the Chamber and as a Page 2 matter of fact, the country will always value your tremen- dous contributions, not only within the resource sectors, However it was not until 1989 when the Chamber was but also in areas you are passionate about such as initially created that Mr Anderson, decided to join the or- education, health and community development. PNG’s ganisation and develop it into a well-respected industry world-class resource industry is what it is today because body. of people like you,” he added. Attending his farewell party were members of the Cham- • Continued on page 2 ber Council including the President Mr Gerea Aopi, Se- • From page 1 Brief bio about Greg Anderson He has had an illustrious career spanning more than three decades in the mining and petroleum industry. A significant part of his career was devoted to Papua New Guinea. Before re-locating to PNG in 1975, Greg was employed as an Engineering Geologist with the Bureau of Miner- al Resources, Geology and Geophysics in Canberra, Australia. He later joined the PNG Geological Survey as Engineer- ing Geologist in 1975, few months before PNG gained Independence. In 1979, he later became PNG’s Senior Geologist, a role he held until 1983. In this position, he was responsi- ble for the supervision and direction of the Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology in Papua New Guinea. This section in the Geological Survey of PNG was the only organisation in PNG offering geo-technical services throughout PNG for other Government Departments, Provincial Governments, statutory bodies and the pri- vate sector. Between 1983 and 1985, he served as the Principal Engineering Geologist with the Geological Survey of PNG and then from 1985 to 1989 he was appointed the Chief Government Geologist responsible for the overall administration, management and co-ordination of the Geological Survey Division of the Department of Miner- als and Energy. In 1989, Greg was appointed to the position of Execu- tive Director of the newly established PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum, a position he occupied for over 28 years until his formal retirement in May 26th 2017. During this period, he was responsible for developing the Chamber into a peak industry body which has had a major input into legislation and policy formulation and changes that affects the industry in PNG. During his years at the Chamber, he has passionately contributed to other areas as well such as in education where he has helped several tertiary institutions like UPNG and Unitech to foster academic growth and stu- dent learning. He was also instrumental in the fight against HIV/ AIDS when he championed the industry’s response to HIVAIDS by helping to establish the Private Sector HIV/ AIDS Project which is now Business Coalition Against HIV/AIDS or BAHA. 2 Mining and Petroleum Review Q&A with Greg Anderson When you first arrived in PNG those goals? ed significantly because we had a in 1975, did you think you were When the Chamber was created, consistent taxation and regulatory going to be in the country for 42 we wanted to grow and promote the regime which were not changed years? resource industry in PNG. That was even though things were buoyant. It never occurred to me that I was the underlying goal. We also want- PNG kept everything stable and the going to be here for all these years ed to make sure the industry was results spoke for itself. We got two as I originally came to PNG for a healthy by having reputable players mining projects (Ramu Nickel and two-year term. But PNG was fasci- that had good international stan- Hidden Valley) and we delivered the nating, the work I was doing here dards. That has always been my Solwara 1 Project and of course the was exciting and the people were vision and we have achieved that. LNG project. spectacular. All is now history. What were some of the main suc- What are your views about PNG’s What was your experience like cesses you had as CEO of the LNG sector? working in rural areas of the PNG Chamber? PNG has huge potential and I’m before you joined the Chamber in The Chamber has been able to convinced that despite the challeng- 1989? build a wonderful record of confer- es we have at the moment with leg- I have worked in every province ences and publications. We were islation and taxation changes, we in PNG and I’ve seen some really the trailblazers for hosting over- will get further LNG developments beautiful things in this country. It’s seas investment conferences and whether it be an expansion to the said many times but the tourism po- promoting Papua New Guinea. I current PNG LNG project or another tential here is just enormous. There am also very proud of the team that stand-alone project. The record and are some worldclass sceneries in I’ve built at the Chamber. They are the reputation that PNG has estab- PNG which include the Hindenburg multi-skilled and talented and will lished from the PNG LNG project is Wall (Western Province), the Bever be working very well with the new immense. Because the project was Falls (Southern Highlands), and executive director Professor Albert delivered successfully on time and the Huon Terraces along the Fin- Mellam. I know the Chamber will go now producing well above its name- schafen Coast (in Morobe Province) a very long way under the steward- plate capacity of 6.9mtpa, that has which people hardly hear about. ship of Prof. Mellam. put us well and truly on the world stage as a significant LNG player. What were some of the chal- Where would you like to see the It’s going to be tough in future for lenges you faced when you first Chamber in the next 10 to 20 LNG markets but PNG is very well joined the newly-established years? positioned competitively to be on Chamber? The Chamber is a small organi- the forefront of the next round of The organisation was ‘brand new’ sation with a lot of responsibility. LNG projects. so I was able to put in some of my The main thing is to keep it high- own ideas. But it was a challenge ly professional, well-organised, What will you miss most about as we had absolutely nothing. The disciplined and have some stra- the Chamber? (Chamber) office was at 6-Mile tegic goals in place. Maintaining I very much enjoy the friendship and (in Port Moresby at the back of the conferences, the workshops, the excitement of the mining and Granville Motel) and it had just two and the strategic sessions for our petroleum industry. Nothings ever support staff. That time we had less members and the industry are im- consistent. You come to the office than 100 members but over the portant to drive the industry forward. and you think you can plan out your years, the membership has grown Maintaining a close relationship day and say you’ve achieved this significantly and the organisation with the Government and the many and that but then something else has grown big as well. stakeholders that the Chamber comes up or things get changed. It’s has is also important. The large often very difficult to plan our pro- What was the Government’s goals of supporting the projects and grams because things are always reaction to the establishment of maintaining a vibrant exploration moving. And that the excitement the PNG Chamber of Mines and industry underscores the future of and challenge I’ll miss. Petroleum? the industry. Government was very supportive Any favourite things you love because the creation of the Cham- What are your views on the cur- about PNG? ber meant there would now be rent changes to legislations? It’s got to be the people.