Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) recently hosted guests from the North Queensland Cowboys, including former and current professional rugby league players Gavin Cooper, Shellie Long, and Robert Derby.
Cooper, who is Head of Commercial Partnerships at North Queensland Cowboys, along with Long, a PNG Orchid, and Derby, a PNG Kumul, visited from the 26th to the 29th of May 2024.
This visit signifies a continued strategic partnership aimed at driving and fostering positive behaviour change in the community, and is the second following last year’s successful engagement with Cooper and Michael Morgan.
Throughout their stay, Cooper, Long, and Derby embarked on a series of engagements across several schools in Kiunga and Tabubil.
These included Montfort Primary School, St Gabriel Technical Secondary School, Kiunga Secondary School, Kiunga Town Primary School, Tabubil Primary School, and Tabubil Secondary School.
Additionally, they toured the Kiunga Port Facility, Mine & Mill Operations, and the General Ward of Tabubil Hospital.
During their schools visits they emphasized the importance of education, fostering healthy lifestyles, making informed decisions, and advocating respect for both elders and peers. Furthermore, they distributed Cowboys merchandise.
Reflecting on their experiences, Cooper expressed admiration for the scale of OTML’s operational footprint, while Long and Derby conveyed their appreciation for the enriching encounter and expressed a desire for future visits.
With OTML’s Strategic Business Plan, which includes Life of Mine (LOM) Extension to 2050, it is projected that over K30 billion in Social Benefits, which includes taxes, royalties, and dividend payments, will be derived from the operation.
OTML Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kedi Ilimbit, said beyond these economic contributions, OTML is also focused on driving positive behavioural change nurturing the leaders and professionals of tomorrow.
“By leveraging the influence of rugby league icons, such as Cooper, Long, and Derby, OTML intends to empower our children, youths, and community, to aspire towards excellence, creating a generation of upstanding citizens poised to make meaningful contributions to their communities, Western Province, and the country.