Photo credit: Department of Prime Minister & National Executive Council
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has congratulated ExxonMobil on its 100 years in Papua New Guinea and says the company is welcome to stay on for another 100 years.
He said this when addressing ExxonMobil’s 100th Anniversary Dinner in Port Moresby on Saturday night, which was also attended by Ministers, Governors, MPs, members of the business community and senior executives of ExxonMobil.
PM Marape said he had attended ExxonMobil’s 100 anniversary and asked the company to be around for PNG’s 100th anniversary, and hopefully by then, ExxonMobil in partnership with Government had contributed to a better-developed PNG.
“Tonight is worth celebrating,” PM Marape said.
“One hundred years is a huge milestone, and not just any ordinary company but a global Triple A-rated company and global leader, to have 100 years of unbroken business and service to PNG.
“I am duty-bound to thank you on behalf of all Papua New Guineans - past, present and future – for choosing PNG as an investment destination.”
PM Marape said ExxonMobil had started from humble beginnings in Rabaul in 1922 and had grown with PNG over the last 100 years.
“Your investment in the PNG LNG Project is testament to the fact that PNG, despite many of the headline negativities, remains a vibrant place for consistent presence of businesses,” he said.
“ExxonMobil has shown that PNG is a place to do business, and can be a place to do business.
“Today, I stand as leader of this nation of a thousand tribes, to thank you and point ExxonMobil to us living together for the next 100 years.
“Why not? Yes, we can.”
PM Marape said PNG was now moving into an exciting new phase of LNG developments with Papua, P’nyang and others, and goalposts set with investors would remain fixed.
He was pleased that Total, the biggest energy company in the world and operator of Papua LNG, was also present for the occasion.
“Together with Total, and Exxon Mobil, our participation in the petro-chemical business is set and secured going forward,” PM Marape said.
He thanked buyers of PNG LNG in Japan, China and Taiwan for being regular customers since first exports in 2014.
“We have other LNG projects that are being lined up and we look forward to more buyers coming onboard,” PM Marape said.
PM Marape also thanked ExxonMobil for employing Papua New Guineans in key positions within the company, making available spin-off businesses for nationals and landowners, for paying taxes, and for continued foreign direct investments such as in Papua and Pn’yang.
“We look forward to going into the future with you, as you continue to partner us, and to make Papua New Guinea a better place,” he said.
Article courtesy of Department of Prime Minister & National Executive Council
