Community & Social Development
There are 158 villages in the Western Province where community life has been directly influenced by the presence of the mine.Western Province entities (Landowners and the Provincial Government) hold a direct 33% interest in OTML, with representation on the Ok Tedi Board of Directors.
We engage with our stakeholders and maintain regular open and transparent dialogue with the mine associated communities and government. This dialogue is based on Free and Prior Informed Consent principles to which OTML subscribes.
Ok Tedi’s community development programs have focused on developing partnerships with local communities, governments, and businesses to improve long-term social and economic development in the Western Province and the Telefomin District.
This approach ensures the community development programs complement government initiatives and those of aid agencies and Non-Government Organisations working in the region.
The delivery and management of major community development programs are primarily through the Ok Tedi Development Foundation (OTDF) a not for profit subsidiary of OTML.
Women’s Programs
OTML community development projects have a strong focus on education for women and children. OTML through OTDF has implemented several women’s programs recognising the rapid social change caused by development, and the need for women to become more active, educated and agents of change in their communities.
Improving the status of women and children in the community is the impetus behind OTML’s social responsibility programs. These encompass women’s and children’s rights and campaigns aimed at preventing child abuse and violence against women.
Another key area for training is in women’s leadership skills. These workshops aim to strengthen the existing village women’s groups so that they can tie into the PNG National Council of Women network. The focus of these workshops is on providing women with the skills to assist them becoming involved in the decision-making process.
Women leaders play an active role in all mine community consultation process and leaders meetings and are represented on the OTDF Board.
A minimum of 10% of the CMCA Compensation package has been allocated for Women and Children and regional Women’s Associations have been set to manage the use of these funds for Women and Children projects.
Community Relations Team
The OTML Community Relations team is responsible for planning, implementation and communication of OTML community relations programs including environmental impact mitigation, compensation payments, local employment and benefit sharing opportunities, infrastructure development and services for the Western Province.
They manage the dissemination of information to the communities and undertake formal and informal consultation. Each year, the Community Relations team completes a series of annual formal community visits to each of the 158 villages in the nine CMCA regions, covering an area of over 98,000 km2.
Over 20,000 people attend these meetings annually. Meetings are held with both men and women and also with women separately to discuss issues specific to women and children.
Formal meetings are also held with local, ward, provincial and national government authorities.
Those present at the meetings include representatives from OTML Community Relations, Government, CMCA regional leaders, women leaders and OTDF.
In these forums, the Communities and their leaders have the right to raise issues with OTML and the State that impact upon their livelihoods.
OTML uses the meetings to provide feedback on issues previously raised and provide information updates on mining operations, environmental impacts, agreed compensation, statutory compliance understanding and awareness of applicable laws relating to lease management and social responsibility programs managed through OTDF.
The community is able to raise issues of concern, and these are recorded as requests or grievances through our comprehensive Complaint and Grievance Management System for follow-up and resolution.
The Community Relations team also collects census data, provides information on the Mine operations, Trust funding and facilitates the payments.
Our leading-edge Community Relations Manual is a practical guide to our Community Relations programs, methods and activities, especially with ongoing engagement and the maintenance of relationships with the CMCA and other .
There has been no major community disruption to OTML operations, and we enjoy a healthy working relationship with the communities. This has been attributed to continuous consultation and resolving issues promptly.
