News 08.2013.1

20.08.2013

Source: ESBC

Does „PNGexposed“ intend to keep the public stupid?

by Axel G. Sturm

Today the famous PNG blog “PNGexposed” complains that Bougainville’s Radio New Dawn FM did not quote a story that they had published one day earlier. New Dawn’s only “mistake”: They published an ESBC’s press release without quoting the related “PNGexposed” story.

The ESBC already had published this very press release the same day as a comment on the blog. This was, of course, not quoted by the editors of “PNGexposed”. Nevertheless this one grabbed the following lurid headline for his today’s article: “New Dawn FM backing Rio Tinto and the reopening of Panguna?”

Unfortunately “PNGexposed” often uses the stylistic device of putting questions to fog the reality and to influence its readers. This provokes uncertainty and suspicion.

If “PNGexposed” had made better research on the issue they easily should have been able to find out that the ABG together with the Bougainville Copper Foundation are funding an initiative to enlarge Radio New Dawn’s coverage to the entire island of Bougainville. This was even made public in BCL’s 2012 report earlier this year.  The ESBC President himself initiated this to give all Bougainvilleans the possibility to better inform themselves on on-going projects in the region. This was also made public by Radio New Dawn FM a couple of months ago. The ESBC believe that all Bougainvilleans must have free access to information.

In the past “PNGexposed” successfully worked out a couple of corruption cases. But sometimes they seem to see phantoms where there are not. The ESBC does not hope that “PNGexposed” intends to keep the public deliberately stupid.

The European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper (ESBC) publicly support the excellent work of Aloysius Laukai and his team of Radio New Dawn on Bougainville ! Please find out here: http://www.bougainville-copper.eu/radio-new-dawn-1.html

20.08.2013

Source: PNGexposed

New Dawn FM backing Rio Tinto and the reopening of Panguna?

by pngexposed

Bougainville Radio Station, New Dawn FM, was very quick to publish the media release below from the European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper, but their listeners would have been bemused as to what it was all about as New Dawn had totally failed to cover the story from PNGexposed that Sturm was responding to - Leaked Documents reveal secret ABG plan to reopen Panguna. 

Be interesting to know if their are any funding links between Rio Tinto or the Australian government/ AusAID and New Dawn...

20.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Owner of PNG’s doomed Rabaul Queen ferry charged

The owner of the Rabaul Queen ferry which sank and killed more than 140 people off Papua New Guinea’s Morobe coast in early 2012 has been charged with 162 counts of manslaughter.

Peter Sharp was arrested by police in Kokopo today before charges were laid, including for criminal negligence and taking an unseaworthy ship to sea.

A commission of inquiry nearly a year ago found the ferry was unseaworthy, overloaded and should not have been sailing.

It said Peter Sharp showed gross disrespect by having passengers travel in inhumane conditions.

Police media spokesman Inspector David Terry says the police investigations took as long as they did because they needed to be meticulous and extensive.

“Statements were collected from witnesses in Rabaul, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Lae, Madang and Goroka. Mr Sharp was today taken to the police station in Kokopo where he was formally charged, and he’s now in police custody.”

David Terry says Peter Sharp is due to appear in court tomorrow when his lawyers are expected to apply for bail.

20.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Policewomen in Bougainville provide much needed balance

The Bougainville community auxiliary police have recruited women to give a much-needed balance to the service.

Constable Reginald Sogen is the Coordinator of the 340 Bougainville community auxiliary police being trained by New Zealand police officers.

He says the main problems police deal with include armed robberies and domestic violence fuelled by drugs and alcohol.

Constable Sogen says it can be difficult to disarm criminals, as police don’t carry weapons, but when people take the law into their own hands, the presence of women in the service is essential.

“There are lots of important ways that policewomen, because when policeman goes and there is no policewoman there, we do things differently you know. But with policewomen present, we can control our force. Stop us from hitting people.”

Reginald Sogen says policewomen are also better suited to dealing with female offenders.

20.08.2013

Source: EMTV

Solomon Islands Want Stronger Border Watch 

A Solomon Island official requested that PNG and the Solomon Islands’ border agencies work closely to monitor their common border.

Taro Island Administration Executive Manager Roland Lapo said the SI government is equally concerned about the uncontrolled and un-monitored activities that are happening there.

Taro Island in the Choiseul Province is some 3 hours’ drive on a banana boat from Kangu beach in South Bougainville.

Mr. Lapo said that his administration there is growing concern to reduce trafficking of both human and illegal drugs and firearms.

Recently, his team escorted representatives from the PNG border agencies to one of its Island to observe their operations and infrastructure.

They had travelled to the Island to observe operations and infrastructure there.

They were impressed by the new infrastructure. The 10 houses funded by AusAID are for the Police personnel.

The police officers there have been tasked to maintain law and order in the Choiseul Province, and monitor the PNG-Solomon Island border as well.

BDA is working on developing all border posts in the country. Its major project is at the Wutung border post, Sandaun Province.

20.08.2013

Source: The National

Bougainville HIV rate drops, says officer 

By ALOYSIUS LAUKAI

THE spread of HIV/AIDS in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville has decreased since 2000, the Bougainville AIDS office said yesterday.

Monitoring and evaluation officer Steven Pokohi said 99 people had been confirmed as HIV/AIDS positive since 2000.

He said eight of them died while the others were still receiving medical treatment.

Pokohi said the most vulnerable people were aged between 25 and 39, many of whom were married.

He revealed that social activities were also contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS on Bougainville.

He said polygamous marriages were another contributing factor to the spread of the virus.

Pokohi said the Bougainville AIDS Office team was carrying out an awareness campaign in the local communities so that people were better informed about the dangers of HIV/AIDS.

He said many people were able to test voluntarily as testing sites have been established in Arawa, Buin and Buka.

20.08.2013

Source: The National

Mining wastes outcry 

RESOURCE owners Federation of PNG has called for a full inquiry into the mine disposal practices in Papua New Guinea.

The federation was concerned about the dumping of mine tailings and other waste in river systems, seas and oceans and wanted such mining practices banned for good.

Federation president Jonathan Paraia said each year, many mining companies dump millions of tonnes of hazardous mine wastes into rivers, lakes and seas of PNG.

He said these chemicals threatened humans, environment and the aquatic ecosystems. 

“The large volumes of waste in the form of solids, liquid effluents and air emissions are products from mining and mineral processing operations,” Paraia said in a statement. 

“Solid wastes, which comprise of waste rock and tailings are, by volume, the most significant wastes generated by any mining and mineral processing activities,” he said.  

Paraia said waste rock was usually dumped into large piles within a mine’s waste rock storage area, which could spread over an area of several square kilometres. 

“The coarse texture of waste rock allows air and water to easily move through the piles.

“Because much of the waste rock have never before been exposed to the elements, it can be reactive with the air, water and micro-organisms, which could cause acid mine drainage, releasing metals to surface and ground water.

“Tailings are usually discharged as slurry - thick liquids -- the finely ground ore and any residual chemicals from the processing or milling. 

“Tailings consist of finely ground rock, which could become chemically reactive thus posing serious environmental risks ... acid rock drainage and the release of toxic metals, toxic reagents used in processing are also a threat to the environment.    

Paraia said the combination of liquids and fine-grained solids could also cause many tailings to become physically unstable. 

He said that if left exposed to the air to dry, tailings could be blown by the wind causing air pollution and be washed into waterways, harming aquatic ecosystems.

“Toxic pollutants that are commonly found in tailings include sodium cyanide, mercury, chloride, xanthates, hydrochloric acid, activated carbon, copper sulphate, sulphuric acid, iron, lead, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, zinc, nickel and others.”

Paraia asked why the nation’s leaders continue to allow leading companies to use irresponsible and primitive methods of waste disposal, while developed nations -- by treaties -- prohibit the dumping of mine waste into natural bodies of water.

“With climate change impacts such as droughts becoming increasingly noticeable and with our human population reaching more than seven million, freshwater resources have become critical to the survival of the people and the natural ecosystems, which are increasingly threatened by depletion and pollution,” he said.

“The oceans and its resources are also under unprecedented and unsustainable pressure from direct contamination from mining waste, climate change and acidification from greenhouse gas emissions.

Paraia said the mining industry must share the collective responsibility to protect water, the aquatic ecosystems and the human communities that rely on them.

20.08.2013

Source: The National

Call to scrap State’s 30% mining equity 

By ELLEN TIAMU

THE present 30% equity participation by the State in any mining venture must be changed, a mining conference was told.

Vice-Minister for Mining Wera Mori spoke at the Mamose regional forum held to review the mining policies in Lae last Friday.

Mori said the current policy in which the State’s interest was carried free to fund infrastructure development and the 30% equity for costs to gain entry into the project was inequitable.

He said the challenge was for a legislation to be enacted mandating a developer to give the entire 30% free to the State, or alternatively for it to be given 20% free and pay only 10% of sunk costs.

“This is in recognition of the State as the host nation so that other negative perceptions of the industry such as our natural resources being exploited by foreign interests could be dispelled,” he said.

“After all, the public perception now is that resources belong to us and therefore, why should we pay for things that we own.”

Mori warned that some changes must be made, but with a certain degree of responsibility, so that it reflected the best interest of the State and its citizens.

He said there was definitely a need for stronger bonding and creation of better relationships among investors and landowners, host provincial governments and the government and landowner companies in mining.

20.08.2013

Source: The National

Kiwis visit Bougainville

A NEW Zealand government delegation led by the Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully made a brief visit to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville last week.

Bougainville police provided a welcome parade for the delegation at Buka airport.

Bougainville government public service minister Joel Banam said  the people of Bougainville were grateful for the continued support from the government and people of New Zealand.

He said that the Autonomous Bougainville government was happy with its collaboration with the New Zealand government.

McCully said they were happy with Bougainville’s progress.

The delegation held talks with ABG acting president Patrick Nisira, senior government officials and the business sector.

Click below to watch the videos on ...

• New Zealand extending commitments to Bougainville
• 
  
• More NZ police to head to PNG 

19.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

EUROPEAN SHAREHOLDERS RESPOND

Source European Shareholders website

The European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper (ESBC) back and support the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and its President John Momis.

All their efforts made in the ongoing struggle for positive development on Bougainville deserve high respect. The ABG is the only legitimate representative of Bougainvilleans.

No individual or groups of individuals can pretend to have a platform of authority. They just represent themselves and the ABG represents the collective will of all Bougainvilleans.

The so-called "leaked" document from 2011 proves and underlines the ABG's democratic approach to the matter. The meeting in question gathered most of the stakeholders concerned by a re-opening of the Panguna mine. PNG exposed today's interpretation of the ABG's politics is false and misleading. It shows once more again the huge lack of democratic sense in and around Bougainville.

19.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

WHO IS DAVEONA?

By Aloysius Laukai

The Chairman of the South West Corridor LAND OWNER ASSOCIATION Chairman , PATRICK HEROMATE said that his association does not remember voting , MR. LAWRENCE DAVEONA as the chairman of the overall Panguna Mine Affected Associations.

He told New Dawn FM today in Buka that MR. DAVEONA is a chairman of the Special Mine Lease Area only and must be voted by all associations to represent them.

MR. HEROMATE said that his association is the biggest group which represents the people of the Tailings area between MAMAREGO and TOROKINA.

He said that even though the Mining Division is slow in registering their Association, the BEC approved their group in 2010.

MR. HEROMATE said that if the deal was made with good intentions, the ABG and also the other Landowner associations must be involved in all negotiations.

He said that his group were not happy with what the National Minister and other Bougainville members are doing working against the ABG which is the only legitimate authority on Bougainville.

19.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SHOW ARRIVAL TOMORROW

By Aloysius Laukai

The Bougainville Show for 2013 officially starts this Wednesday with all participants arriving tomorrow in preparation for the Show.

According to the 2013 Bougainville Show Coordinator and CEO for the Tourism office, LAWRENCE BELLEH the show will start as schedule.

He said that last minute work at the Show ground is progressing before the official opening which is this Wednesday.

MR. BELLEH also called on the Sponsors to make sure they make their payments before the start of the show.

The 2013 Bougainville Show will be held at the Buka show grounds opposite the Buka airport.

New Dawn FM will carry the opening and closing live from the Buka show ground and pictures and stories displayed in its website worldwide.

19.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

TOROKINA MEET

By Aloysius Laukai

The people of Torokina today met with officials from AUSAID and the Australian army to discuss ways of removing the remains of unexploded World War Two Bombs left in Torokina at the end of the war.

The unexploded bombs and other ammunitions has been a concern for the ABG for a long time as TOROKINA remain the armory for people who are looking for weapons.

AND many times youths from other districts travel to Torokina to purchase world war two ammunitions.

Two years ago the ABG under President JAMES TANIS approached the AMERICAN Embassy in Port Moresby to remove these weapons.

Some were removed but there are still more lying around in the bushes of Torokina making it dangerous for people to clear their land for cash crops and gardening.

19.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

YOUTH IS POWER

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG member for Central representing the women of Central Bougainville, JOAN JEROME said that youths of Bougainville represent 67 percent of the overall population of Bougainville and must be made to contribute to the development of Bougainville.

MRS. JEROME made these comments at the International Youth Day celebrations organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) ON Bougainville.

She said that youths must be supported by all levels of Governments and especially local members to contribute in all activities happening in the communities.

MRS. JEROME said if leaders are genuine about the youths of today, they should come up with some tangible development plans to occupy them in the rural areas rather than migrating into urban centres especially here in Buka.

She said that the youths are our investment of today for the future.

The member said that as a mother she was very concerned at the youths who are mistreated by the societies and their communities.

She highlighted polygamous relationship as the main contributing factor of youth rejections in our communities.

The member warned that if we do not start looking after our youths in our communities, we will have sick communities that can become a sick nation.

19.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

POLICE APPEAL TO YOUTH

By Aloysius Laukai

The Buka Police Station Commander, SEGENT EMMART TSIMES has appealed to the youths of Bougainville to support the Bougainville Police Service in its efforts to create a peaceful society in which all can enjoy to live peacefully.

MR. TSIMES made these remarks at the International Youth Celebration in Buka today.

He said that youth had the power to control their peer groups in the communities and were a good asset for any nation.

The PSC said that the Bougainville Police Service lacked the manpower to be in all locations and appealed to the youth as the active people in our communities to be shining examples for others to follow.

More than ONE HUNDRED youths from the Tsitalato COE performed various activities to commemorate the International Youth Day at the Bel Isi Park today.

19.08.2013

Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat

NZ unsure about keeping police on Bougainville

New Zealand hasn't decided if it will renew its deployment of police on the Papua New Guinea island of Bougainville.

Foreign minister Murray McCully visited Bougainville last week as part of a tour that took in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

New Zealand played a key diplomatic role in brokering a peace agreement which ended a ten year civil war on the island.

Mr McCully tells Bruce Hill he's been asked to keep the arrangement to have seven New Zealand police officer on the island going, but no decision has been reached yet.

Presenter: Bruce Hill

Speaker: Murray McCully, Foreign Minister, New Zealand

  LISTEN HERE !  

19.08.2013

Source: ESBC

ESBC press release 20130819

The European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper (ESBC) back and support the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and its President John Momis. All their efforts made in the ongoing struggle for positive development on Bougainville deserve high respect. The ABG is the only legitimate representative of Bougainvilleans. 

No individual or groups of individuals can pretend to have a platform of authority. They just represent themselves and the ABG represents the collective will of all Bougainvilleans.

The so-called "leaked" document from 2011  proves and underlines the ABG's democratic approach to the matter. The meeting in question gathered most of the stakeholders concerned by a re-opening of the Panguna mine. PNG exposed  today's interpretation of the ABG's politics is false and misleading. It shows once more again the huge lack of democratic sense in and around Bougainville. 

19.08.2013

Source: PNG exposed - Blog

Leaked Document Reveals Secret ABG Plan to Reopen Bougainville Mine

A document leaked to Rio Tinto shareholders lobby group, ESBC, by disgraced landowner leader, Lawrence Daveona, allegedly for cash payments, reveal the façade of democracy surrounding the Bougainville mine’s reopening.

Over the last three years ABG officials have told the public that the mine will only be opened if there is a democratic consensus supporting it. Corporate lickspittle, Jemima Garrett, summarises the official ABG tagline, “discussion and consensus-building are central to Bougainvilleans’ traditional way of doing things”.

Documents recently leaked to PNG Exposed reveal the ABG government’s commitment to the Melanesian way is a sham; for several years the ABG has had secret plans in place to reopen the mine, regardless of public opinion or consensus.

According to MEETING MINUTES taken in November 2011, the Panguna Management Consultative Committee (PMCC) was told by ABG officials that the mine was going to be opened regardless of popular sentiment. The Mining Minister, Michael Oni, informed the meeting “that there was no two ways about [it, the] Panguna mine [is] being opened in the not too distant future”. President Momis in agreement added, the mine “must be opened and there is an important need for a Unified Stand by ABG and Panguna Landowners”.

According to the minutes: “Discussions transpired and the general position on the re-opening was obvious and both ABG and the Executive Committee Members of PMCC fully supported and endorsed that Panguna mine must be re-opened”.

So much for public consultation – it appears the decision to reopen the mine was made years ago in closed door meetings by political elites. Recent consultation forums are nothing more than a fig-leaf, or more accurately a cynical sales pitch – complete with threats of PNGDF reoccupation and forced marriage to mainlanders – designed to manufacture consent for a decision already made by those who stand to directly profit.

Indeed, as the meeting minutes reveal women’s groups are the deeply opposed to the mine reopening – and why not it was women who nursed dying children during the conflict, endured rape as a weapon of war, and picked up the pieces after the many village burnings. No wonder then the landowner ‘leaders’ groups supporting Rio Tinto are dominated by men, and no wonder then that ABG leaders such as Minister for Veteran Affairs would tell  women opponents of Rio Tinto that PNG has “hidden plan[s] … that all Bougainville single women will be married by outsiders to own the land”, unless they agree to the mine reopening in time to ‘finance independence’.

And like between 1962-1989 the silent majority – especially the women – whose opinion is irrelevant to political power brokers, will bare all the costs of the mine reopening and the subsequent conflict it generates as the conniving behaviour of the political elite, and its corporate allies, is gradually exposed to a new generation of Bougainvilleans.

Sadly it would seem history is repeating itself, the first time as tragedy and the second time as farce.

19.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Tonu’s last Fijian makes a stand

By DAVID LORNIE

THE Fijian Special Forces soldier at Noel Musingku’s Tonu stronghold in South Bougainville says he is not afraid the PNG Government may try to deport him.

“I’m not afraid of anything,” Maloni Namoli, 57, told this newspaper. 

“Because I know what I’m doing and God knows what I’m doing. We are supposed to be not bound by anything like that. We are citizens of this world. We have to go away from that mentality, the visa mentality. No, we don’t need that — especially in the region of the Melanesian group.” 

The Fijian, who has previously served in Middle East hotspots, arrived in Tonu’s Kingdom of Papala in 2005 to work for Musingku, who rules Papala as King David Peii.

Namoli says whilst he currently does not hold a PNG Visa he is here at the invitation of ‘His Majesty and the chiefs of Siwai.’ 

“I was assigned to a contract that I had to come and provide skilled people to his Majesty.”

Namoli initially arrived with other Fijian soldiers.

“There were several of us and we registered our company and were here on a contract. What I’m doing here is that I’m honouring my contract — and trying to help at the same time.”

The other Fijians left due to ‘some kind of misunderstanding and on the pay.’

“We haven’t received our pay. But what we are trying to do is just to help them to set up a system and also a monetary system that will help not only the people here but everybody around the world.

“We are coming up to that day very soon when everybody will benefit from it. Most of the people know that what I am doing here is training them how to fight or whatever — military tactics,” said Namoli. “But they have already been through that — they are expert on that. What I am trying to instill or introduce to them is discipline, the discipline to come out from the mindset of... most of them were traumatised during the Crisis.”

Namoli said he had been to Bougainville before his current stint. 

“I was here in 1994 on a peacekeeping mission and again in 1998-99. I’ve been quite some time over here. And not only that — I’m just following our forefathers. Our forefathers came to defend this island in the Second World War. And most of the missionaries that came to Bougainville are from Fiji. So I’m not a stranger here!”

“I’m not here only for myself, I’m here for the clients in Fiji and all those people who also invested (in the Papala U-Vistract money scheme).

“There’s a lot of people who invested and I’m one of their representatives, just to see that all these things are payable to them.”

19.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Policeman in Bougainville says people don’t want the mine

A policeman in the Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville says he thinks the Panguna mine will not be reopened for another 20 years and says the people don’t want it.

Constable Reginald Sogen, who is a coordinator of the training programme run by New Zealand for the community auxiliary police, says there are many problems in the area, which need to be solved first.

He says police face issues of armed robberies and domestic violence, fuelled by drugs and alcohol, and there must be peace before the mine opens.

He says Bougainville can rely on other industries such as agriculture, which don’t require such a large investment.

Constable Sogen says the people need to be educated first and many people are still illiterate.

“The people here they don’t want the mine to be opened, the landowners. There are weapons here, and also the whole people here, they don’t want the mine to be reopened. Many deaths have occurred during the crisis and when you talk peace, we want peace. Do not put the mine in, cause it only creates anger.”

Constable Reginald Sogen.

18.08.2013

Source: steelguru.com

Chinese copper mine deal invalid - Bougainville leader

Mining Australian cited Mr John Momis president of Bougainville said a deal made by a Chinese company with landowners to get access to Rio Tinto’s Panguna copper mine is invalid.

Mr Momis said to Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat program Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment Ltd employed illegal means to gain access to Panguna copper mine. The company signed a deal with the chairman of the Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association. It has no legal effect. It is null and void as far as we are concerned. We will certainly throw it out.”

He also accused two chief people from Papua New Guinea who participated in the deal, and said they defied the purpose of the negotiations which intended to restore peace and economic prosperity to Bougainville. Talks were held in May this year on the reopening of the Bougainville copper mine, with landowners were consulted for the first time.

The Autonomous Bougainville Government held a series of mining forums to discuss with the island community before negotiating for the opening of the mine.

Mr Lawrence Daveona chairman of PMALA signed the deal with the Chinese company, which allows the company to compile a plan for disposing mine wastes.

Scientists said earlier this year Bougainville Copper will have to improve its environmental record if it wants to reopen the mine. Bougainville was plagued with a civil war, ignited by the copper mine. A peace deal was agreed on 10 years ago to stop the war.

ABG has been attempting to initiate discussions between the Rio Tinto subsidiary Bougainville Copper, landowners, the Bougainville government and the PNG government to resume the mine.

As per the Memorandum of Understanding, Beijing Aerospace Great Wall should participate in talks to resume the mine. The ABG will assume the responsibilities of mining from the PNG government soon.

17.08.2013

Source: Papua New Guinea Mine Watch

Media Release from PMALA Chairman Lawrence Daveona.

ESBC: Another good example of Mr. Daveona's overestimation of his own capabilities!

Mr Lawrence Daveona, the chairman of the Panguna Mine Affected landowners Association (PMALA) and the SML Osikaiang Landowners Association has expressed dissatisfaction at how the matter dealing with the MOU with the Beijing Aerospace Mineral Investment Limited is being handled by the office of the President in the media, as well as other minister’s in ABG.

The real issue in the MOU which is to do with tailings, waste management and Agriculture programs is not being brought out. According to Mr Daveona, “because ABG is pushing for the re-opening of the Panguna Mine, the minds of the president and the his ministers are all focused on the re-opening of the mine”, the recent MOU signed is not about the re-opening of the mine, but focused on environmental management focusing specifically on trying to explore options on both dealings with the mine tailings as an economic resource that could also generate revenue for the people of Panguna and the affected areas through the 6 lease associations plus development of Agriculture and Tourism opportunities throughout Bougainville.”

Furthermore Mr Daveona also states that the Panguna Mine affected landowners are not talking about re-opening of the mine at this stage, it will be the people of the Panguna that will decide as owners of the Panguna resource and not even ABG, so why the rush to open the Panguna Mine, when there are still outstanding issues.

Mr Daveona further called on the president to explain the 7 MOU’s he signed with the Chinese even without getting consent from the people of Bougainville, and none of this MOU’s are being implemented. He also reminded the president of section 23 of the Bougainville Constitution and also section 10 of the draft Bougainville Mining bill (draft of 1st March 2013). Panguna resource does not belong to the president, and ABG, but to the landowners per the relevant laws above.

Mr Daveona again reminded the president of the urgent need to get the legislation in place which has been outstanding since March 2013, and furthermore stressed to him to start focusing on other areas to assist develop Bougainville, instead of being too focused on Panguna, as the re-opening of Panguna might not happen at his time considering the complex issues at the local level, including the K10 billion demand, The K10 billion demand is non-negotiable for the re-opening of Panguna.

“While I have been criticised for the signing of the MOU, may I remind the ABG minister’s that none of them spoke out when the 7 MOU’s were signed, I signed the MOU together with the Member for Central Bougainville as a witness to show that people of Central Bougainville through their mandated leaders Minister Miringtoro and myself are working together to progress things, instead of day dreaming and talking about re-opening Panguna.”

On the JPNCC, while landowners have been proactive in addressing and raising issues on Social and Environmental baseline studies, we are beginning to question the credibility of ABG Mining Department officials on their contributions on the TORs, as we have seen that they are purely listening to foreign advisor’s whom we are well aware have Rio Tinto links, the bottom line for us is to make sure things are addressed properly and also capacity in place to re-open Panguna. May we remind the President and his ABG minister’s that they might have been misled by Foreign advisor’s working for Department of Mining and Office of Panguna negotiations that negotiations will begin in November 2013, or early next year. The reality on the ground is that ABG discussions both at JPNCC is led by foreign, advisors who have one way or another linked to Rio Tinto, and this advisors have been misleading the president, without even understanding the complex issues within the villages of Panguna and the mine affected areas. The reality according to Mr Daveona is that,

“We have ABG government that is totally misled by foreign advisor’s who have never slept or being to a Panguna villages and talked with the people. On the MOU’s with the Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment, we have to date undertaken four awareness programs in 4 of the lease area association’s villages, and villagers are positive about it.”

“I’m further calling on the president for a round table discussion on the MOU instead of rushing to go out in the media, as a leader he should sit down and talk first instead of going to the media, this shows a character of weak leadership.”

Finally, Mr. Daveona said that he is not at home to please everybody and he has Bougainvillean advisors who have wealth of experience in the resource development industries in the likes Dr. Rodney Kameata who to date has outclassed the foreign advisors that our President is using as can be seen at the JPNCC technical officials meetings that he has attended to date. Many of you who have criticized his signing of this MOU are not well informed of what this foreign advisors are cooking up in order to speed up the re-opening of Panguna mine.

16.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Small and Medium Enterprises a good alternate to mining  

By ROMULUS MASIU

BOUGAINVILLE leaders both in the National and Autonomous Bougainville Government’s (ABG) need to have faith in the small Bougainvillean businesses and support them in every way to grow and create wealth for the region. 

Outspoken Central Bougainville Business Association vice chairman Dickson Siparu made the call on Wednesday, at the same time reminding Bougainville parliamentarians that the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is a very good alternative to mining.

He said the three great assets that Bougainville has are its people, abundance of resources and above all a budding SME sector which currently comprises of mostly wholesale and retail business but has a strong interest in manufacturing and downstream processing to add value to cash crops and other natural resources.

“Genuine and sustainable development of Bougainville lies in the hands of Bougainvilleans and Bougainvillean-owned businesses”.

Mr Siparu who accompanied National government Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry Richard Maru to Malaysia to attend the SMEs exposition in Kuala Lumpur was taken aback on how much Malaysia depends on SMEs alone for creating employment and in providing so much revenue for the country through payment of taxes. 

He added that both Malaysia and Singapore do not depend on mining as a revenue earner and yet they are now developed countries with strong economies that have enabled them to have widespread trade and commercial interests in the countries in the region, including Australia and New Zealand.

Bougainville is similar to these countries and has abundant resources which can support the government and its development programs through the operation of SMEs. 

“I would like to remind the Bougainville leaders both in the national government and ABG that small businesses have been thriving in Bougainville long before the peace process was established. They did not rely on government or any other support to get started and today these businesses continue to grow, slowly but surely.”

Bougainville people have always been described as proud, passionate and hard working with the ability to innovate and create to meet their needs and requirements, as demonstrated during the years that the National Government placed an economical blockade on the island. 

People with very little formal technical know-how have developed a brand of micro-hydro that provides free and sustainable power to villages in Central and South Bougainville.

This is just one example of the sort of technological innovations that were developed during those times of need.

He said people need to be given the opportunity to develop. 

16.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BROKEN MARRIAGES CONTRIBUTING TO THE SPREAD OF HIV AND AIDS

By Aloysius Laukai

The Bougainville Aids office says that the spread of HIV and Aids on Bougainville has decreased over the years since 2011.

This was revealed today by the Bougainville Aids office,Monitoring and Evaluation officer, STEVEN POKOHI (pictured).

From these 99 positive cases, 8 died already whilst the others are still alive and on medication.

He said that last year only six were new confirmed cases which represents the lowest rate in PNG 0.2 percent of the total population.

MR.POKOHI also revealed that the age group most vulnerable were between the age of 25 and 39 further stressing that these were the marriage couples.

He revealed that social gatherings were also contributing to this new trend of change in the spread of HIV on Bougainville.

The Monitoring and evaluation officer also blamed polygamous marriages as contributing to this problem.

He said that the Bougainville Aids team were now carrying out awarenesses in the communities

so that the people know the risks and try to avoid these unhealthy behaviors.

MR.POKOHI said that the Bougainville Aids Office should work more closer with the Buka General Hospital to make sure all statistics are collected and analyzed.

He also said that many people are now able to test voluntarily as testing sites have been established in Arawa, Buin and Buka.

16.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PICTURES OF A UN SPONSORED PARTY FOR YOUTH

UN sponsored youths marching in Buka town

Preparing for the fastest eating competition

Youth looking for the fastest eater

Youths racing for the fastest drinker

16.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

ABG stay out of landowners’ decisions

By Paeope Ovasuru

The landowners of Panguna and the people of Bougainville should be left to decide if the mine will be reopened. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) should only give advice on policy and legislation matters.

Central Bougainville MP and Minister for Information and Communication, Jimmy Miringtoro voiced this concern to clarify issues surrounding the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association (PMALA) and Chinese company Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment recently.

“There has been a great misconception on the content of the MoU. 

“It is an open MoU with the intention not only to develop the mining sector in the region but also the agriculture and marine resources – two of the most important activities that Bougainvilleans rely on to sustain their lives,” he explained. 

He urged the ABG not to meddle with the affairs and decisions made by the landowners because it could cause another crisis if authorities are not careful. 

He stated that the previous company that went into operating the mine did not take the people’s concerns into consideration that is why they were “chased out by force”.

Minister Miringtoro clarified that section 23 of the ABG Constitution gives ultimate power to the people to make decisions on how their resources are utilised, developed and processed.

“The ABG should not tamper with this piece of constitution. 

“They should step in to guide the people to making better decisions that will benefit the region,” he said.

He added that Panguna landowners are very well educated people who can make decisions that will be benefit everyone but they should at the same time consult the ABG and the National Government.

He further stressed that it is time the ABG must lead its people to have more opportunities created for them.

“A lot of people missed out on opportunities because of the crisis for 11 years. Bougainvilleans should be given more chance to decide on how their affairs are run,” he added. 

16.08.2013

Source: The National

Chan: Mining law review underway 

MINING Minister Byron Chan has urged all stakeholders and the public to participate in forums organised by the government to review the country’s mining laws.

A team of government agencies led by Department of Mineral Policy and Geoharzards Management (DMPGM) is touring the four regions of the country to present the proposed changes to various mining laws to stakeholders and public. 

The forums aim to gauge the views and comments from stakeholders for consideration by the government.

The policies and legislations that are being reviewed are the Mining Act 1992, Mine (Safety) Act, and mineral policy and sector policies including offshore mining policy, sustainable development policy, involuntary relocation policy and mine closure policy.

Chan said the mining sector contributed more than 60% of the country’s annual revenue and as such the sector was the main driver of our economy. 

He said this fact alone called for public and stakeholders’ participation in the review process as the proposed changes when passed as laws, would affect everybody’s livelihood.

Chan said mining was a multi-million kina business that involved multi-national companies and nations across the globe and practices and trends had advanced at the international stage. 

He said PNG had to keep up to date with the changes on many fronts, including our mining laws and legislations to ensure – among other things – that the mining industry is marketable internationally and address the landowners, industry and stakeholders’ concerns.

Other government agencies involved are Departments of Treasury, National Planning and Monitoring, Provincial Affairs and Local Level Government, Prime Minister’s Office. National Economic Council, Internal Revenue Commission, Environment and Conservation, Community Development, Commerce and Industry and the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA). 

Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights is the representative on the team from the non-governmental organisation (NGO).

16.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Rabaul Queen probe delay torments PNG families

A women’s leader in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville, Therese Jaintong, says the families of the victims in the Rabaul Queen disaster are going through agony as a result of the sinking and want to see the rule of law applied.

The ferry sank in February last year, claiming at least 141 lives, many of them from Bougainville.

Last year’s commission of inquiry found that the vessel was in an appalling state and its operator, Peter Sharp, was willing to compromise the safety of his passengers.

A police inquiry was belatedly launched and police said last March they were close to completing it, but there has been no word since.

Ms Jaintong says people want to see action taken.

“I am speaking on behalf of the women of Bougainville and the parents and the victims that they have gone through , and even my own relatives, my brother’s daughter, and we are all mourning. I can’t wait to see the outcome and see someone like Mr Sharp to justice. Justice is very important - it has to be taken care of by the law enforcement organisations.”

A women’s leader in the PNG province of Bougainville, Therese Jaintong

16.08.2013

Source: PNG Attitude

Belden Namah face to face. The man behind the enigma.

by SONJA BARRY RAMOI

DEEP IN THE MOUNTAINS of Paru Paru village not far from Panguna mine - the village of the late secessionist leader and first president of Bougainville, Joseph Kabui – a delicate military action was underway.

Defence Force helicopter pilot, Captain Charlie Andrews, was ordered by PNG Defence Force Commander Brigadier General Jerry Singirok to get Captain Belden Norman Namah out of there.

The terrain was in enemy territory and under the control of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army. But there was no place for a chopper to land.

Captain Namah – in a daring display of bravery – was airlifted from the bush by hanging onto the skid of the chopper. Only a very strong and highly skilled man could do that. Namah was a highly trained Special Forces Unit commando.

Did Belden Namah (pictured), now Opposition Leader of Papua New Guinea, tell me the story to impress me? No. I heard the story from someone else and asked Namah to confirm if it was true.

"Yes it's true”, he replied. That was it.

There are many more tales of Namah’s military exploits and deeds to be told. Some, still classified, will no doubt surface later.

His role in rescuing OPM (Operasi Papua Merdeka) hostages the in two separate incidents near the PNG-Indonesia border in 1996 and 1999 still needs to be told.

I know Opposition Leader, Hon Belden Namah, very well. He is not scared of anything. He only fears God. He is a fighter and he doesn't go down easily.

Namah made Peter O'Neill who he is today and he is the only one who can undo or outdo him. You can bet your last kina that no other politician can do that. Not even “old man” Somare.

If he was prepared to sacrifice his life and help save more than 360,000 lives on Bougainville and later go to jail with two comrades for resisting an intervention by mercenaries in the infamous Sandline Affair, does anyone seriously believe that an arrest warrant will scare him?

Why is so much speculation and false information about the Opposition Leader posted in the social media – especially Sharp Talk? Do his critics miss him that much?

Everybody loves a hero. PNG certainly needs many more heroes. When I wrote, during the political impasse, that retired Colonel Yaura Sasa would go down in the minds of many Papua New Guineans as a hero, I was criticised because Sasa had been charged with mutiny.

About one year later the mutiny charge against Sasa was thrown out thanks largely to leading Port Moresby lawyer Tony Waisi, from West Sepik. And the hero who quelled the so-called mutiny was none other than Belden Norman Namah, who should be credited for defusing a potentially deadly clash between factions of the army and the police force.

No other politician would have the guts to enter the sanctity of a Supreme Court to order the arrest of a chief justice. Was Belden Namah’s action, as acting prime minister at the time, justifiable? Most people - not knowing the full story - would probably say no. People knowing the full story would probably still say no. The story, though, is still incomplete.

Some of us are too good at tearing down people and our political leaders based on false information and incomplete stories fed to us by a biased foreign and domestic media.

Take Sasa’s case, for example. Many people made vile and stupid comments and were scared to go near him or to be seen publicly supporting him in case they somehow incurred the wrath of the former ‘O’Namah regime’.

One veteran politician even called my husband, law graduate and former MP Gabriel Ramoi, who the Opposition Leader addresses as his big brother, ‘crazy’. My husband was one man who did not hesitate to set his political preferences aside – as a matter of principle - to publicly support Sasa by becoming one of his bail guarantors.

Many people from all over PNG took the time to find Gabriel’s mobile number and called him to congratulate him for supporting Sasa, whilst most of the PNG Facebook crowd continued to have fun hurling insults at Sasa as well as at me. Now the boot is on the other foot. You can tear down but you can’t tear up!

Having been publicly called a Somare propaganda machine, pro-Somare troll, anti-Belden, anti-Namah in the past and just recently a ‘strong Somare supporter’ and a Namah spin doctor on Facebook, I want to place on record that I supported the actions of both Sasa and Namah, although they were on opposing sides, because they both did what they believed was right according to the circumstances at the time.

I admit that I am still pro-O’Neill and was among the first to publicly congratulate him, via national radio, on his election to the prime minister’s post in August 2011, the day after he was elected.

I repeat, nobody can undo or outdo him except Belden Namah! Yes, it is true that I - as well as millions of other people - were influenced negatively by the Star Casino story; but I soon found out that this story was a set up.

In fact, I challenged people on Sharp Talk to prove me wrong. One administrator commented on my post: ‘Yesterday’s news is good for smoking’. And then a biased admin – possibly the same admin - deleted my post just as I was about to respond to certain comments made by other people.

In a recent Facebook poll asking people to vote yes or no if Peter O’Neill should resign, I answered yes and no. Yes if the letter with Peter O’Neill’s signature approving payment to Paul Paraka Lawyers is not a forgery.

Napway Kunum, an engineer from Jiwaka Province, working on a fly in fly out basis on an offshore gas plant in Iraq, knows Belden Namah well from their student days at Sogeri National High school.

I asked Napway to share his recollection of Namah. Napway, was president of the Judo Club at Sogeri at the time and his room-mate was Gerald Alec from Sandaun Province.

Napway recalled that Belden - who was one year behind him and Gerald - would go to their room every Wednesday to join them at judo training.

“He is one of those that did not speak much but will listen attentively and then go ahead and will get things done,, recalled Napway, “on that you can depend on him. He was always in a hurry trying to get something done.”

He also described Namah as “quiet and easy going with determination.”

“If things aren’t right, he’ll throw himself at it to get it right. Those are his traits. One thing, he’ll call a spade a spade.

“He’ll be loyal to you when he knows that what you are doing is good for people and country. If it’s not he’ll be in the way. That’s all the way from Sogeri.”

It appears they spent a great deal of time talking about the OPM freedom movement in West Papua.

“OPM kept us busy discussing them into the night,” said Napway who added, “It’s not surprising that BN joined the army, and I thought Gerald also did.”

“One thing I found about BN is that he always had respect for me and Gerald, and he would listen attentively. Gerald and he would discuss the suffering of the West Papuans and I would listen in on how unfairly they were treated.

“They’ll say it’ll be best to help them out. So there and then I knew that BN would always fight for the underdogs, and that’s natural, his inbuilt character.”

When Napway, who has worked in many places in PNG and overseas as an engineer in the petroleum industry, was in Kutubu he knew three security supervisors who had been in the army and served in Bougainville during the civil war.

“They said BN is one hell of a person who can move single-handedly forward after he planned out an operation and those were daring ones. They didn’t tell me the full story but I could gather from what they were saying that BN was one hell of a warrior.”

I confided in Napway: “In this very volatile world, you and I know that PNG needs BN”.

Napway replied: “PNG needed BN 40 years ago, Sonja, and that’s not kidding. That’s not discrediting our fathers who brought us to independence. They did what they could. Between independence and now, we let greed get in the way of developing our nation. And that’s where we need him. And that’s 40 years back.”

Certainly nobody can rightfully claim that Belden Namah is greedy, certainly not when he is probably Papua New Guinea’s first multimillionaire philanthropist politician who gives from the goodness of his heart and not to get publicity.

Are there so many gullible people around? If it was true that Belden Namah is a power-hungry ‘would be dictator’, then why did he hand power over to Peter O’Neill, practically on a golden platter, when he had the numbers and the money to become prime minister himself?

One thing is for certain, considering the tremendous support he had at the time, he could have simply snapped his fingers and taken over the country if he had so desired.

People who have recently implied that he is not patriotic and unfit to be Opposition Leader because he was absent from the country need their heads read.

They may as well call every Papua New Guinean who travels overseas unpatriotic and unfit. I ask those critics two simple questions - do other world leaders not travel overseas? Do other world leaders not do live interviews from whatever location they happen to be in at the time?

Belden Namah is a world leader - whether some stupid people like it or not - who at least can afford to pay for his travels around the world using his own private funds.

Not long ago he was in Europe. Ask yourself - how many politicians can purchase airfares and stay in five star hotels using their own honest, hard earned money? It seems that not many people know that Belden Namah is a self-made multimillionaire today because he wisely invested the money he made - starting many years ago before he entered parliament - from his share of timber royalties.

This was after he lobbied successfully and aggressively for a huge increase in the price paid per cubic meter to landowners by foreign loggers.

"There is no arrest warrant. It's media propaganda", the Opposition Leader told me recently after I once again expressed my concern to him at the false reports still being circulated about him on Facebook.

I previously advised people recently in response to a false post on Sharp Talk that figuratively speaking 'BN will be back with both guns blazing'.

Well, if people do not see any guns blazing that does not mean he is not back. Furthermore, Namah is not the type of politician who talks for the sake of hearing himself talk.

Starting from day one, he has made his stance very clear on the asylum seekers and many other issues more than enough times already. Why should he keep on repeating himself like a fool for fools? If people missed what he has said they can always look it up!

Namah is a man who is short, sharp and straight to the point. He is a 'silent achiever' who does not go around boasting and bragging about what he has achieved in order to appear more popular by scoring likes on the social media forums.

Although he was incredibly popular and his presence widely appreciated in the social media, he deactivated his personal Facebook account about 18 months ago – when he was deputy prime minister - because he found being on Facebook too time-consuming.

Belden Namah is a leader who believes in sharing duties and responsibilities. He does not have a monumental ego that says, 'me, me, me’ unlike certain other politicians who enjoy scoring political points by attacking and trashing their opponents.

Namah certainly would never shout at anybody merely for asking questions, unlike some more loudmouth leaders.

Where other leaders are haughty and hypocritically full of themselves - with their egos maybe somewhere up in the sky - Namah is down to earth, humble and honourable.

No, I do not work for him, nor have I ever received money from him. Nor am I a political novice or groupie or spin doctor or propaganda machine.

I have met and spoken with many politicians and statesmen – governor generals, prime ministers, deputy prime ministers, opposition leaders, speakers, ministers, ordinary MPs, premiers, deputy premiers, presidents, lord mayors – at both national and local level from when I was a kid.

Politics is in my blood. It is in my family – on both sides.

I foresee that Belden Namah will become prime minister one day and that he has a long political career ahead of him – akin to two political icons and giants from the Sepik: Sir Michael Somare and Sir Pita Lus.

The only way his political opponents and enemies can defeat him is to completely destroy his character, then lock him up for life or kill him.

Why should he tell the public whether he is in Port Moresby or Bewani or Singapore or Paris for that matter? His security is high stake. We are not talking about the politics of Papua New Guinea 20 years ago. There are too many jealous, ignorant people around these days.

Namah did not put his personal welfare first when he agreed to do his ABC interview from Singapore; he put his country’s welfare first by speaking out against the Regional Resettlement Arrangement - signed unilaterally by Peter O’Neill and Kevin Rudd.

Until recently, I would normally keep confidential what politicians I know and what I know about them.

However, I recently advised people on Sharp Talk that I know Belden Namah very well. I was sick of reading defamatory nonsense and crappy comments about him on Facebook and on blogs - posted by people who do not know the real Belden Namah.

The critics against the asylum deal should be lobbying their MPs to publicly oppose the Regional Resettlement Arrangement instead of wasting time and energy badmouthing and gossiping about Belden Namah.

At a time when the Opposition Leader needs support to defeat the proposed amendments to the Constitution on the floor of parliament and thereby defeat the asylum deal, people have been unrealistically discussing his replacement and unnecessarily creating divisions amongst his supporters. How stupid is that?

What the critics should be asking is - are all those MPs who moved across to swell Peter O’Neill’s ranks sucking up to him? And sucking up to him for what?

Belden Namah has always come out openly to rebut false allegations made about him because he has nothing to hide. How about O’Neill and other politicians?

"We are duty bound to give back to our people their sovereignty, freedom, pride and independence,” Belden Namah said recently.

“We are an independent nation. Australians have f'ed us up since they colonised us. They left us with basically nothing when we became independent in 1975.

“We can't afford to bring them back. We do not need their support either. We have all the wealth in the world God has blessed us with. All we need is a strong, vibrant, prudent and patriotic leadership.

“We are the only ones who can provide that to protect our people from neo-colonialism and corporate greed.

“May we be God's instruments of change for our people and our beautiful country.”

15.08.2013

Source: PNGexposed

Bougainville landowner leader, Lawrence Daveona a Double-Agent?

In June PNGexposed published bank reconciliation statements revealing that Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association leader, Lawrence Daveona, was taking money from Rio Tinto lobbyist, Axel Sturm.

When we published the story the Daveona family denied the allegations and threatened to sue the author. Threats galore were tossed about.

And why would the Daveona’s beat their chests with such fury you ask? Because there was more to the story than even we imagined. Hats off to PNG Industry News who managed to get the full story from Axel Sturm, the man himself.

Sturm admits:

‘Daveona might have received a total of 4000 euros ($A5710) over various payments and in exchange, ESBC received “some information” that was more difficult to gain access to at the time’.

Hang on a minute – so Daveona was actually supplying the enemy, Rio Tinto, with intelligence on landowner communities, using his inside access, so that their subsidiary, BCL, could be position themselves to get the best deal possible during mine negotiations.

Wow! Were this war time Daveona would be what we would call a Double-Agent.

No wonder the Daveonas reacted so violently when we broke the story – we blew Lawrence’s cover.

We wonder what the landowners think about their own leader allegedly being a double-agent for Rio Tinto?

15.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

PNG and Bougainville trade barbs as NZ’s McCully visits

The war of words between Papua New Guinea and the autonomous region of Bougainville continued throughout the visit of New Zealand’s foreign minister this week.

Murray McCully was in Port Moresby and Bougainville and spoke to both leaders.

The PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is upset with how funding has been spent, while the President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government Dr John Momis says PNG is way behind on its commitments to the region.

Alex Perrottet reports from Bougainville.

PNG has committed to pay Bougainville 40 million US dollars a year for five years. They paid the first figure last year in November, after an irate President John Momis threatened court action.

Dr Momis says under the Peace Agreement, there are other outstanding amounts.

JOHN MOMIS: The national government has breached the Bougainville Peace Agreement and their own constitution by not paying us the restoration and development grant which is stipulated in the Bougainville Peace Agreement, it must be given to Bougainville. That is constitutionally guaranteed money that belongs to Bougainville and the natinal government has no right to withhold that money.

But Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says he is not happy with how the money was spent, and there will be no more cash, but only infrastructure projects.

PETER O’NEILL: We are not pleased - and I’ll say it frankly - with the way the money that we have given has been managed. It has not been spent on the intended purposes which was to build infrastructure on the ground in Bougainville and now our government, as we have the right to do so, we will have hands-on approach in management of those key infrastructures.

The Vice President of the ABG Patrick Nisira says Bougainville can and should decide what it needs but should talk more with Port Moresby.

PATICK NISIRA: Especially when you deal with the reconstruction of the infrastructure services - health, education, roads and future roads - I think that we in the Bougainville government should decide where these fundings are in consultations with the national government.

The Education Minister for Bougainville, John Tabinaman, says his department received funding that was spent on building classrooms and paying teachers. But he says many students don’t have enough learning materials and many don’t turn up to school.

JOHN TABINAMAN: They are not as committed as we were pre-crisis, and that’s probably because of the mentality that has developed during the crisis. There is less commitment even though the teachers are trying their best. It is something that we have to get over by changing the mental attitude of the students.

It’s clear this is a region still plagued by the civil war that claimed up to 20,000 lives throughout the 1990s. Mr Tabinaman says education is key if the children here in Bougainville are to grow up and make a proper living, and for the adults to make an informed decision about their future when it comes to voting in the referendum on independence. But the adults making the decisions today are not talking until the problem of payments is resolved.

Murray McCully met with both leaders separately and all he could say is that both were very frank about what they thought. While he didn’t go into detail, he left room for New Zealand to play a part in bringing them together, but remains optimistic they can do it on their own.

MURRAY MCCULLY: I think there’s a fruitful conversation that the two parties can have - the PNG government and the local administration here in Bougainville. They’re actually closer together on some matters than they realise.

New Zealand played a key role in helping the formation of the ABG, and has committed its police to continue training the community auxiliary police here, but there’s a limit on what more it can do to help resolve the long-standing feud.

15.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Arawa a ‘pothole town’

15.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Lera to fund schools 

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

NEARLY all the secondary and high schools in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville will be seeing new infrastructural changes in their areas, thanks to the Regional MP Joseph Lera for allocating funds from his Provincial Support Improvement Program (PSIP) towards this course.

Bana High School will get a science and computer laboratory while Devare SDA High School gets a science lab. Bishop Wade and Hutjena Secondary School will acquire new staff houses and a computer lab each. 

Apart from this, Mr Lera will also use his PSIP funds to build new educational institutions including a polytechnical college, Mananau Oisca Agriculture College, Kihili Teachers College in Buin, and the Bougainville Higher Education Science and Technological Institute. He has also committed funding towards feasibility studies on other educational projects like the possible setting up of a 

Bougainville pilot training school, regional technical and agricultural colleges and Aropa High School to name a few. Flexible open distance education (FODE) centres, and other small educational institutions in Bougainville will also be receiving their share of financial assistances to improve their setups. 

Mr Lera is committing his five years PSIP allocations towards these selected institutions for the improvement of education in the region. Many parents have already expressed their support for Mr Lera for his initiative to establish higher learning institutions in Bougainville.

This is because they will no longer have to send their children to other provinces of PNG to further their education.  

15.08.2013

Source: The National

NZ govt delegation visits Buka 

By ALOYSIUS LAUKAI

A NEW Zealand government delegation, led by the Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully, arrived yesterday for a six-hour visit to Buka.

The delegation was met by Autonomous Region of Bougainville officials and New Zealand police officers.

Police braved the rain to stage a welcome parade at Buka airport.

ABG Public Service Minister Joel Banam said the people of Bougainville appreciated the support of the people and government of New Zealand.

He said they were happy with the collaboration of the two governments to move Bougainville forward.

McCully said they appreciated the warm welcome.

The delegation met ABG acting President Patrick Nisira, government officials and representatives of business houses. 

They also visited projects that the NZ government was funding on Bougainville.

The delegation consisted of Pita Sharples, Minister for Maori Affairs, John Hayes, former New Zealand high commissioner to PNG, Phil Goff, Winston Peters, Jacinda Arden, Paul Hutchinson and Kennedy Graham.

15.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

NZ Minister visits Bougainville

NZ Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully being accorded the traditional tsutsu ceremony at the Buka Airport upon disembarking from the plane yesterday. Read more on page 16. Picture: WINTERFORD TOREAS

15.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Bougainville Vice President says unity important over mine

The Vice President of Bougainville has slammed the Communications Minister for brokering a rogue deal with landowners and a Chinese company looking at reopening the Panguna mine.

Patrick Nisira says the Chinese company has nothing to do with the mine and Communications Minister Jimmy Miringtoro has done nothing to help the local people.

Last week landowners led by Lawrence Daveaona and Mr Miringtoro signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment.

Some officials say other members of the autonomous parliament also signed the document.

But Mr Nisira says that is no threat, and the government will persevere in consulting with all parties before the mine is reopened.

“Miringtoro never contributed to any peace building effort in Panguna he should have consulted the AGB because we’ve invested so much money so much time into trying to unite the people and when things are going right somebody like Miringtoro comes in to destabilise and disunite our people, that’s the last thing we would want to see on Bougainville.”

15.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

PNG wants New Zealand to extend its police training

The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea has met New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully in Port Moresby to firm up an arrangement for New Zealand to extend its training of local police in parts of the country.

Arawa: New Zealand police officers on duty

Peter O’Neill (pictured  below)) confirmed he intended New Zealand’s relationship with PNG to mimic what Australia has set up regarding police training.

New Zealand has been conducting training programmes in community policing in Bougainville for over ten years.

“We have requested that they work with us like the Australia Government does with our Bomana Police College here to reopen the Joint Services College which was the Pacific College for all the Pacific island nations to train senior officers in both defence and policing. We’re hoping that through that we can train more senior police men and women for Bougainville and Papua New Guinea as well.”

The Prime Minister of PNG Peter O’Neill.

15.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

NZ Foreign Minister to open Solomons airstrip

The new airstrip in the western division of Solomon Islands will be officially opened today by New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully.

Mr McCully is on his annual Pacific Mission and arrived in Honiara yesterday after spending time in Papua New Guinea and the autonomous region of Bougainville.

New Zealand has dedicated 20 million US Dollars to projects in Munda and they are nearing completion. Alex Perrottet reports from Honiara.

Buka airport : Guard of Honour for New Zealand delegation

“Murray McCully and a selection of New Zealand parliamentarians including previous foreign ministers Phil Goff and Winston Peters met with PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, as well as the President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government John Momis. Mr McCully visited the Buka police operation where New Zealand police are training over one hundred Bougainville police in the auxiliary service. Dr Momis wants more training of the whole police service after rejecting Port Moresby police as people who bash heads together, and said Bougainville was culturally different from the rest of PNG. Mr McCully says the two parties have more in common than they think. He will officially open the Munda airstrip today in the Solomon Islands, and will inspect progress on another runway at Nusatupe. A service road to the airport has also been funded and the runways are soon expected to be welcoming tourists on international flights.”

15.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn  on Bougainville

ADMINISTRATOR REPLACED

By Aloysius Laukai

Reports reaching NEW DAWN FM office says that the ABG President, DR. JOHN MOMIS made the announcement yesterday.

According to reports, the acting Deputy Administrator Policy and CEO for Law and Justice, CHRIS SIRIOSI has been promoted to ACTING Chief Administrator until such time a permanent appointment is made.

This acting appointment is for three months.

A date for the official handover takeover is yet to be announced.

15.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn  on Bougainville

FINANCE MINISTER ON ABG GRANTS

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG minister for Finance, TREASURY and Planning, ALBERT PUNGHAU (pictured) says that the National government still owes the Bougainville Autonomous Government more than ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY EIGHT MILLION KINA in grants that are constitutionally guaranteed to the ABG under the Bougainville Peace Agreement.

He said that under the Bougainville Peace Agreement, the National Government is required to fund the ABG for development grants starting with FIFTEEN MILLION KINA and increasing each year with the growth of the Papua New Guinea economy and based on the annual GDP movement.

MR. PUNGHAU said that this fifteen million kina has never been increased since 2005.

He told the New Zealand delegation that even the ONE HUNDRED MILLION promised to the ABG is yet to be released and we are already in August.

Minister PUNGHAU said that NO DIRECT FUNDING was included during the Bougainville Peace Agreement negotiations making it difficult for the ABG to rebuilt destroyed infrastructures whilst at the same time it must deliver much needed services of Health and Education to the people of Bougainville.

15.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn  on Bougainville

CONNECTION SOUR SAYS NISIRA

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG Vice President and Acting President, PATRICK NISIRA (pictured) says that the communication network between the ABG and the National government has not been good because many leaders do not know the Bougainville Peace Agreement which binds the two governments together.

PRESIDENT NISIRA said that even the four Bougainville Members of Parliament were working against the ABG delivering directly to the people and bypassing ABG Priority areas.

He highlighted the recent signing of MOU between the Minister for Communications and Central Bougainville open member, MR. JIMMY MIRINGTORO and a CHINESE company to look at the possibility of participating with the reopening of the closed Panguna mine.

MR. NISIRA said that the ABG spent its scarce resources in uniting the people and arranging reconciliations between former enemies just to be hijacked by the local member without consulting the Autonomous Bougainville Government which is the only legitimate government on Bougainville.

He said this has reversed all the efforts of the ABG to progress peace and reconciliation in the area.

14.08.2013

Source: EMTV

Miringtoro Clarifies Panguna Mine MoU 

Minister for Communications and Member for Central Bougainville Jimmy Miringtoro (pictured) has clarified a MoU signed by Paguna mine landowners last week.

On the outset he says the Autonomous region of Bougainville is not ready to re-open the mine; not until sufficient local expertise is available.

During the interview, Miringtoro looked calm in his Port Moresby office despite media reports of the ABG government rejecting an agreement signed between Panguna landowners and a Chinese firm.

The Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association and the Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment Ltd signed a MoU last week for negotiations relating to the reopening of the Panguna mine, especially on mine waste management.

However, Momis says the agreement was “an act of bad faith”.

Miringtoro said it was a case of misconception, an agreement was never signed, rather a MoU which is not binding.

He assures Bougainvilleans not to panic, that he would never sign anything that would jeopardize their well-being.

He says the PNG Government is pouring money into Bougainville and it’s up to the ABG to manage the funds properly to rebuild the island nation.

He said if Bougainvilleans want to control their economy, then re-opening the mine at this stage is not the answer.

14.08.2013

Source: PNGexposed

Bougainville Landowner Leader Lawrence Daveona a Double-Agent?

In June PNGexposed published bank reconciliation statements revealing that Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association leader, Lawrence Daveona, was taking money from Rio Tinto lobbyist, Axel Sturm.

When we published the story the Daveona family denied the allegations and threatened to sue the author. Threats galore were tossed about.

And why would the Daveona’s beat their chests with such fury you ask? Because there was more to the story than even we imagined. Hats off to PNG Industry News who managed to get the full story from Axel Sturm, the man himself.

Sturm admits:

‘Daveona might have received a total of 4000 euros ($A5710) over various payments and in exchange, ESBC received “some information” that was more difficult to gain access to at the time’.

Hang on a minute – so Daveona was actually supplying the enemy, Rio Tinto, with intelligence on landowner communities, using his inside access, so that their subsidiary, BCL, could be position themselves to get the best deal possible during mine negotiations.

Wow! Were this war time Daveona would be what we would call a Double-Agent.

No wonder the Daveonas reacted so violently when we broke the story – we blew Lawrence’s cover.

We wonder what the landowners think about their own leader allegedly being a double-agent for Rio Tinto?

Axel G. Sturm commented the PNGexposed article as follows:

Gentlemen,

thank you for reporting the true story.

One single explanatory note has to be added: I am not a Rio Tinto lobbyist, I am simply a major shareholder of Bougainville Copper Limited. This means that I am concerned as one of the owners of the company. I invested a lot of money in Bougainville Copper to bring the island forward and to earn money by doing this. In this I funded Mr. Daveona. I also gave mobile phones to other landowners to facilitate their communications. To call Mr. Daveona a double agent is inappropriate as it is a little bit to prestigious for him. I ended the cooperation with Daveona because he was not reliable. Furthermore he showed a permanent lack of respect towards President Momis and myself.

With best regards,

Axel G. Sturm

14.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Bougainville further shuns PNG police in favour of NZ

The President of Bougainville says he is happy with the New Zealand police trainers and he doesn’t want police sent from other parts of Papua New Guinea.

John Momis says there is a cultural difference between Bougainville and the rest of PNG and he wants police in Bougainville to serve, rather than be mercenaries.

The New Zealand police have so far been training community police and Mr Momis says they have made great progress.

He also wants them to train the regular police service, and says training of police in Port Moresby is sub-standard.

“Well the training they get is not, they are not trained to ... remember the Bougainville police is called the Bougainville police service, not Bougainville police force. Police here [Port Moresby] are trained to bash heads and kill people and so on and so forth, not to serve.”

The President of the autonomous province of Bougainville, John Momis

14.08.2013

Source: EMTV

Consultative Forums on Mining Acts Begins 

A series of consultative forums began yesterday for the new Mining Act and the new Mining Safety Act.

The Department of Mineral Policy and GeoHazards Management will be conducting the forums in each of the four regions of the country.

They will present to stakeholders the changes that are proposed in the new legislations and seek their views on a review.

The regional review forum in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands; where stakeholders including national members of parliament, landowners and non-government organizations attended.

The theme of the Forums is ‘Reforming the Way Government do Business in the Mining Sector’; with the sub-theme, ‘Improving the Quality of Life for Our People’.

The changes are aimed at reforming the process so that Papua New Guineans can maximize the benefits derived from mining and so that locals can also participate meaningfully in the development of the country.

The forums will seek stakeholder feedback on the proposed new mining sector policies; specifically the development of the Offshore Mineral Policy, Resettlement Policy, Sustainable Mine Development Policy, and the Mine Closure Policy.

Department Secretary, Mr Shadrach Himata said that the forums are part of the initial review consultations that began in 2011 as part of the legislation review and policy development process.

Acting Deputy Secretary of the DMPGM, John Arumba, said the review of the existing laws stem from the fact that they (laws) are outdated and need to be amended so that they are consistent with the new trend of development in the mining industry.

A final report of the review will go through the government process before being tabled in Cabinet for endorsement.

The government team will hold other regional forums in Lae, Kokopo and Port Moresby in the coming weeks.

14.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

HAKENA LABOUR FORCE

By Aloysius Laukai

The Executive Director for LEITANA WOMEN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, HELLEN HAKENA is warning Bougainville young women to avoid falling into Human Trafficking as Human trafficking is in the increase throughout the region.

MRS. HAKENA (pictured) made this call in her weekly radio program on NEW DAWN FM today.

She said many young women are falling into the trap and are so entangled and hard to release them once they are caught in the web.

MRS. HAKENA said many such problems are happening because our youth and especially girls are desperate to seek employment.

She called on the parents to make sure their children are not send away to Schools with uncles and aunties as most of the times this is that start that create such situations.

MRS HAKENA said that parents must be responsible to look after their children and to make sure their basic needs are met and not to leave them run around the places without control.

14.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

LOWER TAILINGS DISTANCES ITSELF FROM THE DEAL

By Aloysius Laukai

A chief from the Lower Tailings area says that the deal signed between Panguna Mine affected Landowners does not have their blessings.

A chief from KUNEKA, MICHAEL KUIAI told New Dawn FM today that the people who have been affected and are still affected by the tailings from the Panguna mine want to work with the ABG to make sure their problems are addressed adequately.

He said that the deal with a Chinese company to look at the waste management system was good but must be discussed by all parties and not discussed behind closed doors.

MR. KUIAI said that BCL has agreed to look into its past mistakes and they are interested in talking with BCL first and if that does not work we can look at other partners later.

He also questioned why this deal was signed in Buka as land owners must be consulted at all times especially tailings which is still getting pollution from Mercury and other chemicals being used up at Panguna by Gold miners there.

MR. KUIAI said the approach taken by the ABG through its mining division to have Regional Forums throughout the region and gauging the views of all Bougainvilleans was good and must be encouraged.

New Dawn FM understands that the last Regional Forum On Panguna Negotiations will be held in Panguna in September.

14.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ONSA WANTS PATRIOTIC CITIZENS

By Aloysius Laukai

A Bougainville Businessman, chief HENRY ONSA is calling on all Bougainvilleans especially those living outside Bougainville to be patriotic for their homeland.

Speaking on New Dawn FM’s Current Affairs Program last night, MR. ONSA said that Bougainville needs all its citizens to assist their government instead of working against what it has taken years to built.

He was commenting on the MOU signed between the PANGUNA Landowners led by LAWRENCE DAVEAONA and the National Member for Central Bougainville and Minister for Communications, JIMMY MIRINGTORO and a Chinese company in Buka last week.

MR. ONSA said that smart Bougainvilleans must not be used as fronts by foreign partners to come into the region.

He said investor has to come through the ABG and not through the backdoor as this will only create problems for the investor and his cohorts.

MR. ONSA said that BOUGAINVILLE is for all of us and not for a few individuals to hijack and manipulate its people.

14.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

HOSPITAL DONATIONS

By Aloysius Laukai

The Medical Services Director with the Buka General Hospital, DR. BARNABAS MATANU has thanked the Regional Member, JOE LERA and Magistrate LUKE TEREA for presenting equipments and medicines with use by dates still okay.

Speaking at the presentation of these equipments last Friday, DR. MATANU said many times donations such as these are made when they are about to expire which makes such donations look like finding dumping grounds.

He said that use by date of the latest donation is up to 2017 which gives time for the Hospital to properly utilize such donations instead of rushing to use them before they expire.

The Regional member presented Diabetes testing Equipments and accessories donated by INSULIN FOR LIFE AUSTRALIA and Israeli company based in Australia.

14.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

COURT HOUSE CREDIT

By Aloysius Laukai

The Buin Court house which was opened last Wednesday came up after Buka magistrates continued to hold court-cases under the trees in Buin.

This was highlighted by several speakers at the Opening last week.

They said that the Magistrate, PETER TOLIKEN now acting Judge was one of the people who were instrumental in bringing the Courts into Buin, South Bougainville.

AND because several courts were held under the trees, work on seeking financial support for the building of the Buin Court house started.

With the Support of the Law and Justice Sector, Ausaid was approached and funding was allocated for the Building of the FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND KINA Court house which has spaces for expansion depending on the need of the court service in Buin South Bougainville.

14.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

TAIPA SEES DIVISION PROMOTED BY NATIONAL MEMBER

By Aloysius Laukai

A chief from Buin, JOHN TAIPA TAURIA says moves made by the Member for Central Bougainville and Communications Minister, JIMMY MIRINGTORO to promote his company into Bougainville is dangerous and can create division on Bougainville.

MR. TAIPA from Kukumai village in Buin told New Dawn FM that the deal signed with the landowners and Minister excluding the ABG which is the legitimate government on Bougainville is disturbing.

He said that the people of Buin are questioning why the member for Central Bougainville does not want to work with the ABG on deals like this.

MR. TAIPA said that if the National government has some issues that it needs to address it must deal directly with the Autonomous Bougainville Government and not these leaders who have other personal interests.

He called on the leaders to forget their differences and support the ABG which the people of Bougainville created as a vehicle that will drive all Bougainville issues towards referendum and Independence.

14.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

DEAL HAS JEOPARDISED GOVERNMENT EFFORT SAYS ONSA

By Aloysius Laukai

MR. ONSA told New Dawn FM in Buka today that the Panguna deal has jeopardised the good work made by the ABG and other stakeholders including BCL and the Papua New Guinea Government.

He called on the Panguna landowners to make sure they do not fall victims to unscrupulous Investors who are here to benefit themselves and not the landowners and the people of Bougainville.

MR. ONSA said any Bougainvillean middlemen who live outside Bougainville can also sell our birthright for some small pieces of silver.

He called on Bougainvilleans to be transparent and come through ABG if they have any genuine deals that can help Bougainville.

14.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ONSA WANTS FORUM WITH LANDOWNERS

By Aloysius Laukai

A Buka businessman, HENRY ONSA is calling on the PANGUNA landowners to immediately call a public meeting in Buka to explain to the people of North Bougainville why the landowners have suddenly signed an agreement excluding the ABG and the people of Bougainville who have been supporting them to reopen the mine on Bougainville’s terms and conditions.

He told New Dawn FM in Buka that the people of North Bougainville were surprised in the actions of the landowners especially when the ABG has been doing everything possible to make sure the people of Bougainville fully benefit for the proceeds of the mine and that is after a good agreement has been negotiated.

MR.ONSA said that as one of the victims of the Bougainville copper related conflict he was not happy at the actions by the land owners and wants the landowners to explain why they have jeopardised the efforts of all Bougainvilleans to benefit from the Copper and Gold mine.

14.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

NEW ZEALAND DELEGATION

By Aloysius Laukai

A New Zealand government delegation led by the Foreign Affairs Minister MURRAY McCully arrived in Buka this morning for a 6hour visit to Buka.

They were met at the airport by the ABG government officials and the Bougainville and New Zealand police officers.

The Bougainville Police Service braved the morning down pour and provided a welcome parade to the Minister and his government delegation at the Buka airport.

In his welcome remarks at the airport, ABG minister for public service, Joel BANAM said that the people of Bougainville were appreciative at the support the people of New Zealand and their government have been providing to the people of Bougainville.

He said that the ABG is happy with the collaboration that the two governments have been having to progress Bougainville forward.

In response the Foreign Affairs Minister,Murray McCully said that he and his delegation were happy at the warm welcome accorded to them on arrival.

The delegation then broke into different groups to talk to the ABG Acting President,Patrick Nisira whilst other team members met with the Government officials,Business houses and they also visited other projects that the New Zealand government is funding on Bougainville.

New Dawn Fm understands that the New Zealand government fully supports the Bougainville Community Police project through the New Zealand Police.

Other team members are,Minister Pita Sharples, Minister for Maori Affairs,

John Hayes former PNG HIgh Commissioner and new member.

Philip Goff, former minister for foreign affairs,Winston Peters former Minister for foreign affairs, Ms Jacinda Arden Member (labour), Paul Hutchinson member(national)

Mr.Kennedy Graham member(Green Party).

14.08.2014

Source: PNG Industry News

O’Neill targets the ABG 

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has started pressuring the Autonomous Bougainville government by withholding an expected K100 million payment.

According to Radio New Zealand, O’Neill said his government honoured the first of five K100 million payment commitments made last year, but was not happy with how the money was spent. 

“It has not been spent on the intended purposes, which was to build infrastructure on the ground in Bougainville and now our government, as we have the right to do so, we will have hands-on approach in management of those key infrastructures,” O’Neill reportedly said. 

ABG president John Momis has reportedly said his government might sue the PNG government. 

Prominent political blogger Deni ToKunai was not impressed. 

“O'Neill is delaying Bougainville's annual K100m payment because he's not happy with how it's spent,” he tweeted. “Ironic given PNG's own lost billions.”

It’s not yet clear whether the standoff will impact plans to pave the way forward for a re-opening of the long-troubled Panguna copper-gold mine in Bougainville. 

14.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Bougainville projects plan launched 

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

BOUGAINVILLEANS can now look forward to tangible developmental projects as regional MP Joseph Lera begins to use funds from the Provincial Support Improvement Program after launching his five year development plan last week at Mabiri high school in the Manetai area of Central Bougainville.

Projects outlined in this plan, endorsed during the three consultative forums hosted by Lera early this year, were aimed at identifying which projects and developments Bougainvilleans want funded.

These forums which were held in North, Central and South Bougainville were attended by different stakeholders including the ABG, Bougainville open MPs, district administrations, chiefs, former factional representatives, youth, women and churches. 

Mr Lera had opted to gauge the views of all people as part of his bottom up approach by allowing them to participate in the planning, funding allocation and delivery of services to the populace. 

The projects outlined in the plan are also in line with Mr Lera’s vision: To Develop the People and Build the Nation.

The Regional MP has adopted this vision after seeing that it was important to change people’s mindset before funding infrastructural developments. 

The launch of the plan last Thursday also marks Lera as the first MP in the New Guinea Islands region to begin his five year plan.

Speaking during the launch ceremony, Mr Lera clarified that the projects set out in the plan were identified and approved by the people and not himself as the regional member. 

He added that the introduction of such an approach showed transparency and consultation in determining projects to be funded.

“The plan shows that the leader is accountable and is transparent. When there is a plan, it is hard for a leader to mismanage people’s money,” Mr Lera said.

ABG Minister for Community Development, Melchior Dare, commended Lera for his initiative to involve other stakeholders in identifying the projects to be funded.

Mr Dare also called on the ABG and their national counterparts to work together in bringing more developmental changes in Bougainville.  

14.08.2013

Source: The National

MP hopes to renew living conditions 

Central Bougainville will undergo a major rehabilitation programme under a five-year plan initiated by local MP Jimmy Miringtoro. 

The 2013-2017 plan is focused on peace, stability and development of the areas that were devastated by the Bougainville crisis in the 1990s.

Miringtoro, who is also the Minister for Communications, Information and Technology, said the plan would be funded under the district services improvement programme (DSIP).

He presented the plan to the Acting Secretary of the Implementation and Rural Development Department, Paul Sai’i, yesterday. 

Miringtoro said his people had been traumatised and devastated by the Bougainville conflict and he hoped to renew and improve their lives under the plan. 

“The document lays a foundation for collaborative development efforts between the national Government, Autonomous Bougainville Government, Council of Elders and Central Bougainville administration. The involvement of communities is a beginning of a new era,” he said. 

The minister said the development efforts must capture the needs of individuals, families and communities and ensure that the benefits were shared equitably. 

“Effective implementation of the plan will improve the lives of people by promoting self-employment and income generation opportunities; by providing the best accessibility to basic services, particularly in education, law and order, social improvement and healthy communities,” he said.

14.08.2013

Source: ESBC

Sturm slams Salas

For a second time within six months former ABG Minister of Finance, Mining, Lands & Planning, Mathias Salas, had published a slanderous article on Bougainville Copper Limited in Papua New Guinea  Mine Watch:  Find out here!

TRANSARENCY INTERNATIONAL have ranked Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton  # 2 and #3 amongst all companies fighting against corruption!  

In a harsh comment on the pamphlet, ESBC President Axel G. Sturm unmasks Mr. Salas as an insidious backdoor player who tries to spread lies and hatred.

Read here for Sturm’s statement:

Welcome back Mr. Salas!

Please tell us which group of backdoor players is funding your campaign against Bougainville Copper? Are you disappointed that BCL is an honest company that doesn’t get involved in bribery etc.? Are you getting your orders from conman Lindsay Semple like late Joseph Kabui and his mate Watawi? Read here why Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton recently have been elected the most honourable mining companies worldwide: http://www.individual.com/storyrss.php?story=179634046&hash=9e455933e8f1ba70ab3b92b4b8bead63 .

I know: This article will not please you as you cannot get money for doing nothing and speading nonsense! Try to work and don’t cheat your people!

Regards,

Axel G. Sturm

President ESBC

14.08.2013

Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat

Bougainville President warns Chinese company eyeing Rio Tinto mine

A Chinese company reported to be seeking access to the Rio Tinto mine site on Papua New Guinea's island of Bougainville has been warned its newly signed Memorandum of Understanding with landowners has no legal standing.

Bougainville's President John Momis says the company has circumvented the proper chanels to secure the deal and he has hit out at the two key figures on the PNG side of the arrangement saying they have ignored the spirit of negotiations designed to bring peace and economically sustainable future to his island.

Presenter: Jemima Garrett

Speaker: John Momis, President of Bougainville

  LISTEN HERE !  

GARRETT: It is more than 10 years since the signing of the peace deal which brought an end to Bougainville's civil war and building the peace has been a long slow process.

For the past 3 years the Autonomous Bougainville Government has been working on a consultative process with landowners in the lead up to talks 4 way talks between landowners, the Bougainville government, the PNG government and the Rio tinto subsidiary Bougainville Copper on the possibility of re-opening the Panguna copper mine.

It was this mine that sparked the civil war and the ABG is keen to get the process right.

Now it appears a Chinese company, Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment Ltd wants a piece of the action.

Reports in the Post Courier newspaper say Chairman of the Panguna Mine Affected landowers Association Chairman, Lawrence Daveona has signed an agreement with the Chinese company giving it access to the mine site to prepare a plan for dealing with mine wastes.

The paper says the agreement calls for Beijing Aerospace Great Wall to be involved in negotiations for re-opening the mine.   

Bougainville President John Momis says if the Chinese company was genuine it would not try to come into Bougaiville through the back door.

MOMIS: They circumnavigated the mechanism that was set up amongst the landowners, Bougainville Copper, the PNG government and the ABG to look at all issues to do with the re-opening of the Panguna mine because it has been a painful experience and we finally got a process going which engages all the major stakeholders including the ex-combatants in a very purposeful manner, which has surprised many, many people because now we are committed to deal with this problem in a way which would be in accordance with international best practice.

GARRETT: The deal with Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment is said to have been brokered by the Papua New Guinea government's Communications Minister Jimmy Miringtoro.

President Momis is not happy about his role in the affair and he says it goes against the spirit of reconcilation.

MOMIS: I must say that Minister Jimmy Miringtoro, the Minister of communication who represents Central Bougainvillle in the national parliament must be, is answerable for bringing in this company without even having the courtesy coming to the ABG. We are not against foreign investment. In fact, we are encouraging credible foreign investment because we need revenue and income for our people but for the Minister and in particular, the Chairman of the Panguna Landowners Lawrence Daveona, to completely ignore the process that we have set up, and especially this joint Panguna negotiations co-ordination committee, doesn't augur well for their genuine commitments.

GARRETT: The Bougainville government is in the process of taking over responsibility for mining from the PNG government and it has new mining legislation due to go before parliament in September.

President Momis does not see a role for Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment Ltd at Panguna.

MOMIS: I don't think I need to talk to them. We are in the process of talking with Bougainville Copper and under the Bougainville Copper Agreement the lease in Panguna belongs to BCL.

GARRETT: So what is the legal standing exactly of this agreement signed by the Panguna landowners?

MOMIS: It has no legal effect. It is null and void as far as we are concerned. We will certainly throw it out.

14.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Bougainville leader says PNG trying to fragment region

The President of Bougainville has accused the Papua New Guinea national government of trying to fragment the region in the lead up to the independence referendum.

John Momis says the Bougainville members in the national Parliament are useless and don’t push Bougainville’s interests.

He says Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is not to be trusted on his argument that paying Bougainville the 100 million kina commitment each year has led to misspending.

Peter O’Neill says he will only pay the rest of the 400 million kina by way of development projects, but Mr Momis says that goes against the principle of subsidiarity and the withholding of funds is due to ulterior motives.

“You know they are deliberately trying to fragment Bougainville which will not happen, they are deliberately trying to undermine the leadership and the people of Bougainville by using our own members, members of parliament. We have four Bougainville members who are totally useless to us they don’t even come to us, they get 45 million between them for pork barrel politicking.”

The President of the autonomous region of Bougainville John Momis says the money should go directly to the autonomous government.

14.08.2013

Source: Australia Network News

Chinese company warned over Bougainville mine

By Jemima Garrett

  LISTEN HERE !  

Audio: Jemima Garrett speaks to John Momis (ABC News) Bougainville's President has warned a Chinese company seeking access to Rio Tinto's Panguna copper mine that its agreement with landowners has no legal standing.

John Momis has told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program that Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment Ltd has used a backdoor method to get access to Panguna.

He says the agreement it is reported to have signed with the chairman of the Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association is not valid.

"It has no legal effect. It is null and void as far as we are concerned. We will certainly throw it out," he said.

Mr Momis says the company has circumvented the proper channels to secure the deal.

He has also criticised two key figures on the PNG side of the arrangement, saying they have ignored the spirit of negotiations designed to bring peace and an economically sustainable future to his island.

It is more than 10 years since a peace deal was signed to end Bougainville's civil war and building peace has been a long, slow process.

For the past three years, the Autonomous Bougainville Government has been working on a consultative process to broker talks between landowners, the Bougainville government, the PNG government and the Rio Tinto subsidiary, Bougainville Copper, to reopen the mine.

It was this copper mine that sparked the civil war and the ABG is keen to get the process right.

Reports in the Post Courier newspaper say the Chairman of the Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association, Lawrence Daveona, has signed an agreement with the Chinese company, giving it access to the mine site to prepare a plan for dealing with mine wastes.

The newspaper says the Memorandum of Understanding calls for Beijing Aerospace Great Wall to be involved in negotiations to reopen the mine.

Bougainville's President, John Momis, says if the Chinese company was genuine, it would not try to come into Bougainville through the back door.

"They circumvented the mechanism that was set up amongst the landowners, Bougainville Copper, the PNG government and the ABG to look at all issues to do with the re-opening of the Panguna mine," he said.

"It has been a painful experience and we finally got a process going which engages all the major stakeholders including the ex-combatants in a very purposeful manner.

"(This) has surprised many, many people because now we are committed to deal with this problem in a way which would be in accordance with international best practice."

The deal with Beijing Aerospace Great Wall is said to have been brokered by PNG's Communications Minister, Jimmy Miringtoro.

Mr Momis says he's not happy about Mr Miringtoro's role and says it goes against the spirit of reconciliation.

"We are not against foreign investment - in fact, we are encouraging credible foreign investment because we need revenue and income for our people," he said.

"But for the Minister and in particular, the Chairman of the Panguna Landowners, Lawrence Daveona, to completely ignore the process that we have set up, and especially this joint Panguna negotiations co-ordination committee, doesn't augur well for their genuine commitments."

The Autonomous Bougainville Government is in the process of taking over responsibility for mining from the PNG government and it has new mining legislation due to go before Parliament next month

14.08.2013

Source: Papua New Guinea Mine Watch

PNG Mine Watch reporting puts it ahead of the ABC and ABG

Oh how the ABC fawned and gooed over Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) President John Momis when he announced his ‘revolutionary’ mining legislation early this year.

The ABC headline read “PNG’s Bougainville to Pass World First Mining Law”. Oh yes you read it right, the ABG was going to do what no other government in the world had ever done before, they were going to share mineral rights with the traditional owners. Hoorah!

Except they weren’t and are not planning to – not that the ABC allows the truth to get in the way of a good news story for their Canberra masters – and PNG Mine Watch made this point very clear in Islands Business.

Yes the draft legislation has a few aspirational passages that recognise the traditional landowners; but in the mercenary world of law, its enforceable rights that matter, and in this respect the ABG at all substantive stages during the mine-process has the right overrule landowners – regardless of their views – indeed they even have the power to appoint official landowner associations, now how about that for a power-grab.

But of course PNG Mine Watch would say all this about the mining legislation.

‘Sure’.

But the proof is in the pudding, as the old saying goes.

And the pudding – with a rather bitter center – is a little deal struck by Landowner leader Lawrence Daveona with Chinese weapons manufacturer Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment, who among other things have been allegedly involved in espionage, corruption and the breaking of UN sanctions.

The signed MOU we are told will help landowners implement world class environmental practices at the Panguna mine (yeah right!).

But poor old President Momis wasn’t told.

Was he angry? You betchya.

Radio New Zealand reports:

“John Momis says the deal will probably be ruled illegal under the province’s soon to be passed mining legislation”.

Of course it will be deemed illegal because the legislation hands all the power back to the ABG – are you watching Sam Koana!

And of course, with landowner leaders like Lawrence Daveona many on the ground will say ‘thank god for that’. Unlike his predecessors – Francis Ona and Perpetua Serero – who knew how multinationals woo, corrupt and divide landowners, Daveona has proven more than willing to take money from lobbyists. And in so doing he will only legitimise this ABG power-grab.

All the blood spilt, and it seems Bougainville is going back to square 1.

13.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Anger in Bougainville at secret Panguna deal

The president of the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville has expressed anger at a deal between landowners around the Panguna mine and a Chinese company.

John Momis was reacting to a deal between the chair of the group representing the Panguna land lease groups - Lawrence Daveona, the local MP and minister in the national government - Jimmy Miningtoro, and a Chinese company - Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment.

Mr Momis told Don Wiseman the deal undermines the months of work to bring all parties together on restarting mining at Panguna.

JOHN MOMIS: Because we spent a lot of time, energy and effort to form a collaborative situation with landowners - BCL, that is the company, PNG government and ABG - to work together. We have formed what is known as the Joint Panguna Negotiation Co-ordination Committee, and what Jimmy Mingtoro, the member for Central Bougainville who is also the minister in the national parliament for communication, together with the chairman of the landowners, Lawrence Daveona, have signed an MOU with this Chinese company completely out of any knowledge of...

DON WISEMAN: ..out of the blue.

JOHN MOMIS: Out of the blue, yes.

DON WISEMAN: Do they have any right to do that?

JOHN MOMIS: I don’t think they have, because we have our own mining law which took us a long time. It’s not even completed yet, you know? It still has to go before parliament. But I’m sure we will have it passed. And it took us a long time to get the ex-combatants, the land owners and ourselves and the national government and Bougainville Copper Limited to agree to work together in a structure which enables us to do that. And now, out of the blue, Jimmy Miningtoro comes up with this company and signs an MOU with the landowners, purportedly. I don’t think the landowners agree with it. It’s just a chairman signing something with them.

DON WISEMAN: Yes. So have you spoken with Lawrence Daveona and Jimmy Miningtoro?

JOHN MOMIS: No, I’ve been trying to contact them. I’ve been very busy with other issues and I haven’t as yet. But I will certainly get in touch with them tomorrow.

DON WISEMAN: Is your belief and hope that once the new mining law is passed, that this will negate any extraneous deals that have been made or any deals that don’t comply with that legislation?

JOHN MOMIS: Once the new law is passed then any company, whether foreign or local, will have to strictly adhere to our policies and our laws. I think they’re really wasting their time. Except that they are confusing the people, because a lot of people are still not used to the fact that the autonomous government of Bougainville can have its own mining law and its own mining policy that is quite independent of the Papua New Guinean mining law.

DON WISEMAN: Do you know anything about the deal? What’s so attractive?

JOHN MOMIS: That’s a good question. We don’t know why the lack of transparency, which they’ve demonstrated. I would have hoped that they’d come to this joint committee that processes proposals from foreign companies regarding mining.

13.08.2013

Source: Papua New Guinea Mine Watch

Bougainville Landowner Leader Beds with Chinese Multinational

As the old saying goes, there are two certainties in life, death and taxes. We can now add a third, Lawrence Daveona’s terrible judgement.

Over the last few years the struggling Chairman of the Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association (PMALA), has got into bed with a veritable rogue’s gallery of spivs and multinational predators – all this, we are told, is done by Lawrence to help Bougainvillean landowners … what does Daveona do to those he wants to hurt!

On PNGExposed bank reconciliation statements revealed that Daveona accepted money from Rio Tinto lobbyist Axel Sturm.

Based in a foreign tax haven, the German born Sturm is the largest individual shareholder at Bougainville Copper Limited. Daveona – the man mandated to defend landowning communities – felt there was no conflict of interest, taking money from a lobbyist with a huge stake in the company getting the best deal possible from landowners.

And what did Daveona do for Sturm – PNG Industry News reports: “[Sturm] told PNGIndustryNews that Daveona might have received a total of 4000 euros ($A5710) over various payments and in exchange, ESBC received ‘some information’ that was more difficult to gain access to at the time’. In short Daveona was acting as a double-agent – providing the enemy with difficult to access information on landowning communities. A conflict of interest here? Daveona says no!

Indeed, Daveona told PNG Exposed he worked at the Ombudsman Commission, HE KNOWS what a conflict of interest is, and these payments were entirely legitimate. Were we to doubt his authority on this matter, several lines later Daveona emphatically answers allegations of corruption – made when he worked as a Parliamentary Deputy Clerk – by admitting, yes he supplied police with “grog, 2 laptops and a new Vehicle with fuel” in return for conducting a fraud investigation … whats wrong with that?! Ah lets see what the national court says.

In the end – surprise surprise – Sturm and Daveona fell out. Sturm told PNG Mine Watch

“It is true that for many years the ESBC supported Mr. Daveona’s efforts to resume mining by BCL. Unfortunately I had to stop funding Mr. Daveona because of his increasing inappropriate behaviour towards Bougainville’s President, Dr. John Momis and myself [sic]. Sadly there was no more sustainable cooperation possible for the benefit of Bougainvilleans. Today, quite obviously, Mr. Daveona follows his very own agenda and private interest which is proved by his recent statements. He does not have any regard for the people of Bougainville or even the Panguna landowner’s future”.

Poor Lawrence.

But not to be outdone it appears Daveona has found an even more dubious outfit to wed landowning communities to – whether they like it or not – the Chinese multinational China Great Wall Industry Corporation (GWIC). According to the Post-Courier, Daveona has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with GWIC. According to reports on Facebook Daveona and his executive colleagues were pissed – “[they were] drunk all night through to day break, at the meeting with the Chinese and the MP for Central Bougainville, a few rough ones misbehaved at the Lynchar guesthouse, paid from the public purse by the MP for Central Bougainville”.

Foreign carpetbaggers getting the locals drunk so they sign contracts, that puts the neo back in colonial.

And GWIC has a very colourful past – some of its achievements include breaking UN sanctions on Iran, and engaging in espionage in the US.

Even Prime Minister O’Neil worked out something was not quite right with these guys when they came sniffing at his door. The Australian writes: “O’Neill’s request for a review [of a MOU signed by his Minister with GWIC] follows concerns raised in the US congress and a corruption case in Singapore”.

But what does O’Neill know, Daveona is a much more cunning character!

The Post-Courier tells us that GWIC has been anxiously waiting ten years to come to Bougainville and help the people; they just couldn’t wait any longer! Because that, of course, is what multinationals do, wait around, thinking up ways to help people.

And what exactly is it that this charitable multinational weapons manufacturer wants to do on Bougainville – make profit you ask? No no no, they have come to help teach Bougainvilleans ‘world class’ techniques for mine waste disposal.

This is quite a change in occupation; who would have thought that when not engaged in espionage, sanction-breaking and missile manufacturing that GWIC would go around the world helping indigenous landowners protect their environments.

On the Bougainville Forum a few misguided individuals have suggested – god forbid – that perhaps this Chinese player is planning to buy Rio Tinto out.

What evidence do these cranks have?

Ahh GWIC do it regularly in other countries, ahh China is a growing industrial power hungry as hell for resources, ahhh China has earmarked PNG as a country ripe for looting – i.e it has corrupt leaders, a toothless media, and a demoralised, divided population, just perfect!

But what do we know – Daveona no doubt has a cunning plan! For a century big-money and multinationals have gone around the world looting and pillaging, not once has anyone brought them to heal through superior commercial acumen – which is not to say indigenous people have not successfully employed other means. But that’s because they have never before come up against Lawrence Daveona – the man who wines and dines with Axel Sturm, plies beer to police and allegedly signs MOUs after a night out on the grog with his colleagues.

Watch out China, watch out Rio Tinto, Daveona has your number and is about to squeeze you so mercilessly that your billions of dollars showers upon the people of Bougainville; soon the multinationals will leave Bougainville rueing the day they crossed swords with Lawrence Daveona!! And shortly after flying pigs will do a military style salute overhead.

13.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

PNG PM defends withholding Bougainville payments

The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea has defended the withholding of payments to Bougainville, and claims the autonomous government is mis-spending the money it does get.

Peter O’Neill says the national government has honoured the first of five 100 million kina payment commitments made last year but it is not happy with the way it was spent.

The President of Bougainville John Momis has accused the national government of delaying payments for years that have been due to it under the Peace Agreement.

He says they might sue the national government.

Meanwhile Peter O’Neill says the next four years of payments will be spent directly on infrastructure projects, including resealing and upgrading roads, bridges, airports and the Arawa township.

“We are not pleased - and I’ll say it frankly - with the way the money that we have given has been managed. It has not been spent on the intended purposes which was to build infrastructure on the ground in Bougainville and now our government, as we have the right to do so, we will have hands-on approach in management of those key infrastructures.”

Peter O’Neill says many of the claims in Bougainville for wages were not legitimate.

13.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Bougainville landowners mystified by China mining deal

The head of a landowners group near the Panguna mine in Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville says they have no idea what an agreement signed with a Chinese company, Beijing Aerospace Greatwall Investment Ltd, entails.

The arrangement has been concluded by the PNG communications minister, Jimmy Miningtoro, who is the MP for central Bougainville, and the head of the umbrella group for Panguna landowners, Lawrence Daveona.

The move has angered the Bougainville president, John Momis, who says it undermines months of work to bring together all stakeholders in a possible re-opening of the huge mine.

And Therese Jaintong, who heads an Arawa-based landowners group, agrees.

“We don’t believe in what they have signed. It is not properly consulted. My association is working very closely with the ABG and we have come a long way, and if a national parliamentarian wish to come they should come through the ABG. They should talk with the President, Honourable Mr Momis, and then they can talk with us. Altogether. Consultation.”

Therese Jaintong of an Arawa-based landowners group in Bougainville

13.08.2013

Source: The National

Coral predator preys on marine life in Bougainville 

THE coral predator, the Crown of Thorns, has increased in numbers and preying on marine life in the waters around North Bougainville.

Boisen Jinro, a fisheries officer, said the findings of a feasibility study conducted by Nature Conservacency should raise concern on the coral reefs.

Nature Conservacency is a non-government organisation based in Port Moresby .

The study shows that the effect of the Crown of Thorns plus other activities such as overfishing at night, climate change and coral freezing could damage marine life in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

Jinro said the director of the Nature Conservacency Paul Lokari and a marine scientist from Australia, Richard Hamilton with scuba divers from the Solomon Islands had conducted an initial feasibility study in North Bougainville, particularly in the islands of Pororan, Matsungan, Saposa, Carterets, East Coast of Buka and in the Tinputz Area on the mainland of Bougainville.

“The study has been to assess the overall marine life which included different species of reef fish, sea cucumbers and corals,” Jinro said.

According to the study, there was a huge decline in the population of fish and coral. Nearly 90% of marine life in North Bougainville could be die out in a few years.

“The dying out of the coral is due to the increase in the population of the Crown of Thorns which feed on coral,” he said.

“The shortage of sea cucumbers was due to commercial impact of the marine resource and over harvesting.”

Jinro said after the Fisheries Authority imposed a three-year ban on sea cucumber harvesting, there had been a positive effect on the number of this valuable marine resource.

13.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

ABG member arrested again

By SEBASTIAN HAKALITS

A PARLIAMENTARY member in the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has been arrested for failing to appear at Buka District Court.

John Ken, who is the Member for South Nasioi in Central Bougainville, was taken into custody last Tuesday after failing to appear for two hearings in which the Buka District Court issued a warrant of arrest.

His failure to attend court hearings has resulted in his warrant of arrest.

Earlier this year he was arrested for allegedly causing a commotion in one of the Bougainville’s administration offices in Buka.

The Police Station Commander, Chief Sergeant Alex Gunan, said Ken appeared for his hearing and was charged on two counts: one for being drunk and disorderly and another for insulting behavior. 

He was released on a K200 bail and his case adjourned. While out on bail he failed to appear for two hearings and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

“The member was re-arrested after he went to Buka police station and argued with two female police officers. 

“After a check on his file they discovered the existing warrant of arrest for his previous offence committed,” said Sergeant Gunan. 

He appeared for his hearing on Friday, was released on reinstated bail and is to appear in court on August 19.

13.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Bougainville does not need mining

By ROMULUS MASIU

BOUGAINVILLE does not need mining to develop its economy and its infrastructure, says vice chairman of Central Bougainville Business Association, Dickson Siparu.

“Far too much emphasis is being placed on mining as the only way forward for Bougainville. In addition to this, the people of Bougainville are appalled at the ‘chaotic’ approach with which their leaders are courting all manner of mining companies to resume mining at Panguna,” Mr Siparu said over the weekend.

He added the latest one being a meeting between a Chinese company and Central Bougainville MP and Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Jimmy Miringtoro and Lawrence Daveona representing the Panguna Mine Affected Landowners (PMALA). 

An agreement has been signed by the parties, however, the ABG Minister for Mines said that he had not been consulted and has therefore chosen to distance himself from the whole affair.

Mr Siparu on behalf of the business community in Central and South Bougainville said this kind of behaviour by leaders clearly indicates they are not working for the interests of their people but for themselves and the mining companies.

During the Bougainville Peace Agreement, parties to the Bougainville conflict agreed that the decision on re-opening the mine will be subject to a referendum by the people of Bougainville. Nevertheless, the Autonomous Bougainville Government which is a joint creation of the Bougainville people and the Papua New Guinea government, should be involved in all talks regarding such a delicate issue.

Mr Siparu said while he can appreciate the position the ABG is in, in terms of cash for its operations and to provide basic services, he does not believe that they are ready as yet to allow mining in Bougainville to resume.

“Firstly, the ABG does not have the capacity to manage the impact of such a large industry which extracts minerals from under the soil at a significant cost in terms of environmental damage and permanent change to the landscape which will have a negative impact on the lives of the people who rely on the land for their livelihood,” he said. 

“The people of Bougainville will be marginalised if the mine is re-opened. Experience with other mines in the country show many of the spinoffs from the mine usually go to well established overseas companies that have the capacity to provide products and services to the mining operations. 

“Lack of significant and direct participation by local companies and the people of Bougainville can lead to problems that may re-open old wounds.”

Mr Siparu believes that businesses in Bougainville can however provide jobs and taxes to develop the region much the same way as mining companies can but without putting too much strain on the environment and the lifestyle of the people. 

Mining companies extract non-renewable resources and are here for a limited period of time, afterwhich they leave when all our resources are taken out of our land. 

“Local businesses are here to stay and continue to provide taxes, create employment and create wealth long after mining companies have packed up and left, leaving a landscape which is permanently changed,” he said.

13.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

No two voices for Bougainville

By NELLIE SETEPANO

AUTONOMOUS Region of Bougainville can have only one women’s voice under the National Council of Women (NCW) Act. Also in the new National Council of Women Act, the National Minister for Community Development does not have the powers to grant permission for the re-naming of any provincial council of women. Under the recently passed Act, the national council has the right to grant a new name. This law was spelt out clearly by the President of the NCW Schollar Kakas after a faction called the Bougainville Women’s Federation spearheaded by a Magdalene Toroansi claimed a national minister had that right to grant re-name, if majority of women in a province want a change. Ms Toroansi claimed the approval for the Women’s Federation was given with advice under the autonomous arrangement; Bougainville has the right to set up its own women’s body. She further claimed that the ABG Ministry of Community Development and Women was one of the first ministries whose powers were drawn down to affect this process. Ms Kakas was in ARoB recently, attending a workshop when she clarified the confusion. The confusion did not go down well for the women’s groups, especially the Bougainville Women’s Federation. President Kakas said during the Bougainville transition period, there was no proper change, leaving women confused but the new act helps women understand where ARB women’s case is. She said, all provinces have one voice under the council and that is the provincial council of women. Yesterday the president admitted there is a problem in ARoB even though clarification on specific laws were made. She said her executive body will return to ARoB anytime to elaborate further. “This misunderstanding must cease. “There can never be two voices, the two must amalgamate,” Ms Kakas said.

13.08.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Anger in Bougainville at out of the blue Panguna deal

The president of the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville has expressed anger at a deal between landowners around the Panguna mine and a Chinese company.

John Momis was reacting to a deal between the chair of the group representing the Panguna land lease groups, Lawrence Daveona, the local MP and a minister in the national government, Jimmy Miningtoro, and Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment.

Mr Momis says the deal undermines the months of work to bring all parties together on re-starting mining at Panguna.

“It took us a long time to get the ex-combatants, the landowners and ourselves and the national government and Bougainville Copper Ltd to work together - a structure which enables us to do that and now out of the blue Jimmy Miningtoro comes up with this company and signs an MOU with the landowners.”

John Momis says the deal will probably be ruled illegal under the province’s soon to be passed mining legislation.

12.08.2013

Source: EMTV 

Recent Interview with Peter Taylor

12.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

ABG rejects Panguna mine agreement

THE Bougainville Autonomous Government will reject an agreement that was recently signed between Panguna landowners and a Chinese firm, says ABG President John Momis.

The Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association and the Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment Ltd signed an MOU last week to vet the involvement of the latter in negotiations relating to the reopening of the defunct Panguna mine, especially on mine waste management.

However, Mr Momis says the agreement was “an act of bad faith” as it was not done in consultation with the landowners, the ABG, Bougainville Copper Limited and the Papua New Guinea National Government. 

The four make up the membership of the ABG’s Joint Coordinating Committee which makes all decisions relating to the mine.

“If the ABG or BCL made a decision on their own to get an unknown company to work on an important aspect of the Panguna project, the landowners would be very angry. The four parties in the JCC are a partnership. 

“All decisions about preparations for the negotiations must be made jointly, through the JCC. If any one party acts on their own, it undermines the trust between that party and the other parties. We have all agreed to work together and to respect one another. We must honor that commitment,” the ABG president said in a statement over the weekend.

The signing in Buka last week was facilitated by the PMALA chairman Lawrence Daveona and Jimmy Miringtoro, the Communications Minister in the O’Neill Government and the Central Bougainville MP in the PNG National Parliament.

But the deal with the Chinese firm is already raising eyebrows within the autonomous region and appears to have caught both the ABG and the PNG National Government by surprise.

The decision by the landowners to unilaterally strike the deal compelled Mr Momis to emphasize all Bougainvilleans were affected by the 20-year Bougainville conflict and not just the landowners.

“All Bougainvilleans were affected by Panguna, both when it operated and as a result of the Bougainville crisis which started because of Panguna.”

Mr Momis said the ABG rejected the agreement and if landowners wanted the Chinese company involved they should bring it to the JCC for its consideration.

12.08.2013

Source: The National

Momis: Signed Panguna agreement wrong 

By ALOYSIUS LAUKAI

AUTONOMOUS Region of Bougainville (ARB) President John Momis has branded as illegal a memorandum of agreement signed between the Panguna landowners and a Chinese firm.

The agreement was signed by Lawrence Daveona, chairman of the Panguna Landowners Association, and officials of the Beijing Aerospace Greatwall Investment Ltd for a possible partnership in the reopening of the Panguna copper mine.

Speaking on New Dawn FM in Buka last night, Momis said the Panguna landowners were members of the joint Panguna negotiation and coordination committee which has members representing the ARB Government and the national government.

He said this was the process they should have followed if the Chinese and Central Bougainville MP Jimmy Miringtoro were genuine in introducing this company to Bougainville.

Momis said the ABG was the only legitimate government which any mining and exploration requests should be made through on Bougainville.

He said the ABG mining policy due to be enacted in the September session of Parliament would nullify these activities.

Momis said all investors were welcome to apply to work with the people of Bougainville but all investors must come through the ABG and no one else.

He denied signing any memorandum of understanding with the Chinese firm during his recent trip to China.

12.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

31 nabbed in Buin

By ROMULUS MASIU

THE small lock-up cells at the Buin Police Station were filled to capacity as police rounded up and locked 31 detainees two weeks ago.

Most of the arrests were related to home brew consumption, production and trading, in Buin town. Other detainees were locked up for questioning in relation to a murder case in Kanauro village.

Buin Police Station Commander Snr Sgt John Popui has issued a stern warning to the people of Buin, especially youths, to be wary that police will not tolerate drunkards in public places, especially those caught consuming and selling homebrew. 

The fine for homebrew consumption and brewing is K500 cash in Buin. 

Also on Saturday, police arrested and charged passengers of a PMV from Arawa who violated police traffic rules. They were caught red-handed sitting on top of the PMV’s canopy and passing by Buin Police Station. They were chased down by Snr Sgt Popui and his officers and brought back to the Police Station where charges were laid on them. The charges were paid by the PMV truck driver.

Snr Sgt Popui warned motorists, especially PMVs, to be strict with their loading and passenger carriage limits because if they are arrested, the PMV owner or driver will cop the blame and be charged accordingly. 

He also advised the traveling public, PMVs or passengers from other districts that come to Buin to respect the rule of law in Buin.

“If you have been sitting on tailboards, hanging on the roof like a flying fox or sitting on top of PMV canopies in your districts, please don’t come and do it in Buin because you will be arrested and charged for traffic infringements. More importantly we are trying to help you as far as safety is concerned because when you fall off from vehicles or there is an accident, you often run out to claim compensation, burning houses and destroying properties all because of your carelessness and stupidity.”

Snr Sgt Popui said police in Buin have been doing whatever it is able to despite limited resources and lack of manpower. 

The New Zealand-trained Community Auxiliary Police (CAP) has been very helpful working with full time police officers in maintaining law and order in the southern Bougainville region. 

South Bougainville Region Commander, Inspector Andrew Willie Tovere supported Snr Sgt Popui for the tireless efforts of all the officers and urged the people of Buin and South Bougainville to embrace development and the rule of law and leave behind bad habits, bad attitudes and bad mentality.

Inspector Tovere urged Buin people to work with police to develop Buin, South Bougainville and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville as a whole.

12.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Siara service

By Aloysius Laukai

People of Bougainville continue to keep their faith in their creator and to observe Sunday as the day for the Creator for the Catholics worldwide.

New Dawn Fm was invited to record the service at Siara sub parish on the Northern tip of mainland Bougainville.

Although it was a Sunday service the singing was superb and we managed to record the whole service for our Sunday service for Sunday 7 pm on NEW DAWN FM.

The church was full and KATSINKOVERE group really as angels to complete the day.

Pictured is front of the church during the service

10.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PRESIDENT CONDEMNS SIGNING

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG President, DR. JOHN MOMIS today condemned the MOU signed between Lawrence Daveona (pictured)  for Panguna Landowners and a Chinese firm BEIJING AEROSPACE GREATWALL INVESTMENT LIMITED.

Speaking on New Dawn FM tonight, President MOMIS said that the Panguna landowners 

 He said that this was the process they should have followed if these Chinese and the MEMBER FOR Central Bougainville, JIMMY MIRINGTORO were genuine in introducing this company to Bougainville.

President MOMIS said that this MOU was illegal as ABG is the only legitimate government with regards to mining issues on Bougainville.

He said the ABG Mining policy due to be enacted in the September session of ABG Parliament will nullify these activities.

President MOMIS said that he would be making a detailed statement concerning this on Monday.

The ABG President said that all investors are welcomed to make their offer to work with the people of Bougainville, but all investors must come through the front door that is the ABG and no one else.

above:

When personal greed  meets public interest:

Notorious trouble maker Lawrence Daveona.

President Momis also denied signing any MOU with BEIJING AEROSPACE in his trip to CHINA as claimed by the member for Central Bougainville JIMMY MIRINGTORO.

10.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

LERA PRESENTS DONATION TO HOSPITAL

By Aloysius Laukai

The Regional member for Bougainville, JOE LERA today presented Diabetes testing equipments to the Buka General Hospital.

The Equipments were donated by an Israeli company based in Australia, INSULIN FOR LIFE AUSTRALIA. At the same time a Magistrate with the Buka Court House, LUKE TEREA also donated other equipments to the Buka General Hospital.

Commenting on the donations, Regional member says that the Regional member gets two types of grants from the National Government. They are Provincial Service Improvement Program and Members support grants which covers other projects that support service delivery to the

communities.

Because these funds were not enough, members also collaborate with other outside organizations for assistance and today’s presentation were one of these outside assistance.

He said that under the PSIP program they have allocated some funds to by some much needed equipments for the Buka General Hospital.

MR. LERA said that INSULIN FOR LIFE AUSTRALIA is interested to assist Bougainville in other areas in the future.

MEANWHILE, Magistrate LUKE TEREA said he has connections with Hope international as he was working with them prior to him joining the PNG Magisterial Services.

He said that he was looking for land to build an office for HOPE INTERNATIONAL on Bougainville.

Pictured is JOE LERA at Diabetes testing.

Pictured are Doctors and Nurses at the Buka Hospital with Boxes of donated test equipments and accessories pose for this pic with Regional member (second from left in blue shirt)

09.08.2013

Source: EMTV

Bougainville BDA & Customs Building Commissioned

The commissioning of two buildings for the Border Development Authority and PNG Customs at the Buin station has brought government’s presence back into the critical border areas of Bougainville and the Solomon Islands.

The people were happy to see government bring back services to the region.

Also present for the commissioning were the Governor Joe Lera and South Bougainville MP and Bougainville Affairs Minister Steven Pirika Kama.

The two buildings at the Buin station are for officers from BDA and the PNG Customs.

The two government agencies will work closely with local authorities to capture strategic areas in order to protect our country and resources.

They will also focus on developing human capital, trade and investment opportunities for the border communities.

The agencies have set up permanently in the region to effectively stabilize, control and manage movement of people, goods and services into the islands of Bougainville.

Over the years there has been growing concerns on Bio Security Control and Illegal Human Trafficking.

The KANGU border post on Bougainville and WEAM Border Post in the Western Province is next in line to be commissioned.

//youtube.com/watch?v=-ISpYw7vFjg

09.08.2013

Source: Bougainville Copper Limited

BCL REPORT ON FIRST HALF YEAR

Events of Significance to June 30, 2013

The first half of 2013 has been notable for the increasing alignment of all key stakeholders behind the move to re‐start the Panguna mine.

A series of five regional forums instigated by the Autonomous Bougainville Government has been completed, engaging all communities from the Atolls ans Buka, to Arawa, and Buin. The sixth forum is to be held in Panguna and is planned for late August.

Strong support for the re‐opening of the mine has been reported.

Ex‐combatants actively participated in this forum process, and are engaged with President John Momis regarding a re‐start of mining on Bougainville, and the restoration of normalcy to civil society.

It has been reported that President Momis and former militant Sam Kauona have reconciled, and reached agreement on mutually acceptable terms of ABG mining legislation, and three significant ex‐combatant leaders have also settled long‐standing disputes between themselves, and agreed to allow safe passage to visitors and investors to formerly closed areas.

At the same time, four meetings of the Joint Panguna Negotiation Co‐ordination Committee [JCC] have been held, facilitating preparations for formal mine redevelopment processes, and the scoping and conduct of baseline social, economic and environmental studies. This committee has high level representation from the Governments of PNG and Bougainville, as well as the Landowners and BCL, with inputs from agencies including the United Nations Environment Program.

Issues being addressed with the formally‐constituted United Panguna Mine Affected Landowner Association include Bel Kol (reconciliation ceremonies), outstanding 1989/90 compensation payments, landowner relocation and resettlement, and skills training for future mining operations.

It is anticipated that the completion of the symbolic Bel Kol process will be followed by a formal invitation from the ABG, Landowners and Ex‐combatants to BCL, to re‐establish an office on Bougainville. This process is scheduled for the latter half of the year.

BCL’s upgraded Order of Magnitude Study has been was compiled to provide stakeholders with some general backgrounding on the OMS (following BCL’s announcement of its completion at the April AGM), study assumptions and other relevant information. Presentations have been given to:

• President Momis and the Bougainville Executive Committee (BEC)

• Joint Panguna Negotiation Coordination Committee (JCC)

• Mineral Resource Authority (MRA) and the Department of Mineral Policy

and Geo‐hazards.

• Government diplomats from the Australian, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the United States governments, as well as potential development partners.

Please download the complete report here !

09.08.2013

Source: THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

Only BHP, Rio earn top marks disclosing bribery, corruption

By Matthew Stevens 

Jul 28, 2013 (The Australian Financial Review - ABIX via COMTEX) -- 

Recent research by Citi's Elaine Prior suggests that Australian companies have been slow in responding to concerns about commercial bribery and corruption. Prior analysed the ASX largest 100 companies and concluded that Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton were leaders in disclosure of such behaviour. Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton also ranked second and third respectively in Transparency International 2012. 

Publication Date: 27 July 2013 

RIO TINTO LIMITED - ASX RIO

BHP BILLITON LIMITED - ASX BHP

TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL

SINCLAIR KNIGHT MERZ PTY LTD

MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED - ASX MQG

NEWCREST MINING LIMITED - ASX NCM

UGL LIMITED - ASX UGL

GREAT BRITAIN.  SERIOUS FRAUD OFFICE

AUSTRALIA.  DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

09.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Forum addresses Panguna issue

HUTJENA Secondary School hall was packed to capacity when the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and ex-combatants gathered for a Mining Forum last Friday in Buka.

The ex-combatants travelled from North, Central and South Bougainville and were led by Sam Kaona, Albert Magoi, Ishmael Toroama, Thomas Kereri and others.

The forum allowed the government to come out with its position on the planning process towards reopening the Panguna Mine.

During the forum the government thoroughly spelt out what they — the landowners, ex-combatants and Bougainville Copper Ltd (BCL) — needed to do before reopening the Panguna mine.

A proposed negotiation structure for ABG and landowners as well as the BCL estimated time frame were discussed at the forum.

The proposed negotiation structure consists of the final approval for negotiating positions and for agreements by members of individual landowners associations, the Bougainville Executive Council and Bougainville Parliament. 

The forum clearly indicated how the Bougainville Executive Council will be set up to direct all negotiations. It will represent everyone including the landowners, ex-combatants, ABG and all Bougainvilleans.

The forum also pointed out that according to BCL’s ‘estimated timeline’, negotiations will start at the end of this year (2013) and continue into 2014 while pre-feasibility studies will begin in 2016. 

Actual feasibility studies will commence in 2017 followed by the construction hopefully in 2020. 

It was revealed that BCL will have to gather a lot of information and perform a lot of studies in order for it to decide if it is worth while coming back to reopen the mine. 

In an interview with Post-Courier in regards to the proposed BCL timeline, former militant commander and now Principal Commander of UBS Security Service in Buka, Albert Magoi, said the timeline is too stretched. He said feasibility studies should be brought back to 2014 and production to begin in 2015. Mr Magoi wants Panguna Mine to open and go into production one or two years before Bougainville goes into referendum and independence. He said the referendum needed money before anything could happen. 

Mr Magoi also urged the ABG to quickly finalise the mining draft policy and have it put out for discussion. He said this policy will protect the indigenous rights of Bougainvilleans as well as give them maximum benefit when the mine is back in operation. 

09.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Silent achievers in villages

By ROMULUS MASIU

VILLAGE court magistrates are some of the silent achievers who work in their own  communities throughout Papua New Guinea. 

They do their work with pride and dignity, upholding the rule of the law among members of their communities. In trying times, such as when there are disagreements, fights and killings, they are the first people called in to negotiate and to make peace. 

They are on active duty 24 hours of a day seven days a week. But sadly, they get paid K75 every three months.  Michael Nuaku, Paul Moatsi, Henry Kaima and Peter Kapu are village court magistrates for Makis, Baubake, Lule and Konnou Constituencies in the Buin district of South Bougainville. 

The three said the national government through the PNG Magisterial Services pays them K75 after three months. 

This is a very said case for these very hard working men and women who sacrifice their time to attend to and promote peace and harmony in their respective communities.

“We are paid by the government with such amount of money even though we do big work. 

“We work every day; because every day there is a problem somewhere and we have to attend to that problem or dispute to maintain peace and harmony in our communities,” Mr Moatsi said on behalf of the other village court magistrates in Buin district.

He said on a selected day in a week, they have their court sitting where they attend to the cases in their respective constituencies. 

“For example, in Baubake Constituency we’ve selected Wednesdays as the day for court hearings. Konnou’s is on Tuesdays,” Mr Moatsi said.

According to the village magistrates of Buin district the national government and concerned authorities should seriously look into and address their plight. They would like to have a bit of allowances too. And of course a pay rise to at least repay them for their hard work.

09.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

K15m earmarked for Bougainville distrcts

By ROMULUS MASIU

BOUGAINVILLE Regional Member Joe Lera (pictured) has earmarked K15 million to distribute to three districts in Bougainville.

South Bougainville will get K5m which will cater for 160 projects, another K5m will go to Central Bougainville for 170 projects and the remainder of K5m will be for North Bougainville to fund 150 projects. 

Mr Lera had not specified what kind of projects, but said if there was no unity and no normalcy the projects he had plans for would never eventuate in these three districts. 

There must be peace and good governance to realise the dream of Bougainville, Mr Lera said.

The island region must be free of weapons. All weapons must be removed and all reconciliation must be completed. Peace and good governance must be the order of the day.

Mr Lera said the constitution of Papua New Guinea had given birth to Bougainville’s autonomy under the Bougainville Constitution which was in line with the Bougainville Peace Agreement.

He added that if there were weapons still around and reconciliations were not completed there would not be any peace, and good governance would not take place on the island region.

At the moment, the economy on Bougainville is not sustainable and urged his people of Bougainville to work hard and change their attitudes and mentality for a bright future of Bougainville.

Mr Lera urged the people to go back to the roots of what the people had dreamt of and what they would like their destiny to be like. 

He also called on Bougainvilleans to maintain law and order, saying lack of security and the presence of guns would scare away investors who would want to come and do business. 

Mr Lera is currently visiting Buin, Siwai, Bana and Torokina and talking to the people about the progress of government on issues affecting the region and the country as a whole.

09.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

ABG unhappy with agreement 

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association (PMALA) and a Chinese company, Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment Ltd, in Buka last week has not gone down well with many Bougainvilleans.

This signing, which was facilitated by the Central Bougainville MP Jimmy Miringtoro and other key personnel in the landowners group without the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s knowledge has already drawn a lot of criticisms from people.

He said though PMALA had an open door policy for negotiating the Panguna mine, the approach taken by Mr Miringtoro was not accepted.

“Yes, PMALA has an open door policy for negotiating the Panguna mine. But I am very disappointed with the approach the National Minister has hijacked the parties into signing the MoU on Panguna mine without even informing the ABG of the new initiatives PMALA was taking,’’ Mr Oni said. 

“This is a clear sign of the Bougainville National MPs disrespect for ABG. 

It’s simply a divide and rule tactic.’’ Mr Oni, who is also the ABG member for Ioro constituency in Panguna District, is now calling on Mr Miringtoro (pictured on the right) and PMALA to tell Bougainvilleans their motives, processes and strategies to resolve the Panguna and Bougainville issue.

“Mr Miringtoro and PMALA must come out and explain to the ABG and the 300,000 people in Bougainville their motives, processes and strategies to resolve Panguna and Bougainville issue towards preparing Bougainville for the referendum for independence.”

He said this signing which was “facilitated by the Communications Minister Miringtoro is not for the benefit of PMALA and the people of Bougainville’’. 

Former factional commander from the Torokina District of South Bougainville, Albert Magoi has also expressed similar sentiments.  

09.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SKY LIMITED MOVING

By Aloysius Laukai

A Bougainville company, SKY LIMITED based in Arawa has gone into partnership with a Chinese businessman to ship petroleum products to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

One of the partners of the company SKY LIMITED,LAWRENCE MATAU told New Dawn FM in Arawa that currently they are shipping petroleum products from Islands Petroleum based in Rabaul to supply Buka, Arawa and Buin ports.

He said currently they are getting wholesale price at K2.72 a litre for diesel.

MR. MATAU said that they have another Singaporean partner by the name of KUMBAR SIVAGNANAM who is also managing the company.

He said that they are looking at getting product directly from Singapore or Indonesia to supply Bougainville.

MR. MATAU also said that they are currently chartering a Tanker from a Singaporean Businessman, KONG HOO.

Pictured are, Lawrence Matau, Mr Kumar and ABG President DR.JÒHN MOMIS background is the Tanker docked at Loloho.

09.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

HOSPITAL NEEDS FUNDS

By Aloysius Laukai.

The Ceo for the BUKA GENERAL HOSPITAL DR.CYRIL IMAKO says that the Buka General Hospital is funded directly under the National Government and receives no funds from the Autonomous Government of Bougainville.

He made these remarks at the presentation of Diabetes equipments to the Buka General Hospital in Buka this morning.

Dr.Imako said that previously the Buka General Hospital used to get Two hundred thousand kina. from the ABG but stopped in 2011.

Dr.Imako said that with the restructure of the Bougainville Public Service BUAI Hospital will come directly under the ABG meaning that the ABG has to fund the Hospital directly.

He said that the Hospital needs TEN MILLION KINA annually to effectively run the Hospital.

On the donations,he thanked Hope international and Member JOE LERA for donating these equipments.

09.08.2013

Source: Voxy - New Zealand

McCully to lead 2013 Pacific Mission

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully (pictured) will lead a delegation to Papua New Guinea, the Papua New Guinea Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu next week for the 2013 Pacific Mission.

"New Zealand’s investment in projects such as the runways at Munda and Nusatupe and the Noro-Munda road in the Solomon Islands have been attempts to significantly lift our development efforts as the RAMSI initiative transitions.

"Munda is the gateway to the Western Province, an area with significant tourism and fisheries potential to which access has been very difficult. This $25 million investment in these three projects is our largest in the region, and demonstrates our commitment to boosting economic growth in the Solomon Islands," Mr McCully says.

The delegation for the annual mission is made up of parliamentarians, leaders from non-government organisations and business people representing New Zealand companies with an interest in the Pacific.

In Papua New Guinea the group will meet Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to discuss opportunities for commercial partnerships, particularly in agriculture and energy.

"In the Autonomous Region of Bougainville the delegation will see the difference the New Zealand Police Community Policing Initiative is making, and discuss the issues the region faces in the lead up to a referendum on its status," Mr McCully says.

The Vanuatu leg of the Mission will focus on how New Zealand can support sustainable economic development through tourist infrastructure in Port Vila.

08.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

PNG-NZ bilateral ties strengthened

By ISAAC NICHOLAS in Wellington, New Zealand

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill and New Zealand counterpart John Key have reaffirmed the close relationship between both countries and established a framework to shape future cooperation.

Prime Minister O’Neill arrived on an Air Niugini Boeing 767 aircraft at the Military Terminal at Wellington International airport yesterday and proceeded straight to Parliament House.

Mr O’Neill was given an official welcome by the Maori traditional group and Guard of Honour before his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Key and his Cabinet Ministers.

The two Prime Ministers held a joint media conference noting a strong desire by both sides, as partners in the Pacific and Asia-Pacific region, to build on their existing strong relationship.

Both countries are committed to bringing a new depth to the bilateral relationship and to work together on regional and global issues.

PM O’Neil stated the intention to maintain and further develop bilateral cooperation in areas including renewable energy, agriculture and continued peace on Bougainville.

He also noted the potential for private sector engagement to support the development of Papua New Guinea’s infrastructure and build its economy.

Mr O’Neill said the two countries will work together in helping to build capacity and training especially in the Defence and Police forces.

PM O’Neill was accompanied by Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko, Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll, Delilah Gore, Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato and Western Province Governor Ati Wobiro.

Prime Minister Key said the talks between the two leaders focused on encouraging closer economic cooperation between New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

“Papua New Guinea is set to become New Zealand’s biggest trading partner in the Pacific and we have agreed to look at ways of encouraging further economic ties,” Mr Key said.

“There are extensive opportunities for New Zealand business, particularly around developing infrastructure to support Papua New Guinea’s rapid economic growth.”

Mr Key said the meeting yesterday was an excellent opportunity to hear Mr O’Neill’s views ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum next month and to take stock of the New Zealand Aid Program’s joint achievements in Papua New Guinea.

The two Prime Minister’s than witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Geothermal Energy Cooperation between Minister Pato and his counterpart Murray McCully to facilitate the exchange of expertise in this area.

Today PM O’Neill will be visiting Victoria University of Wellington to witness the signing of an agreement for an increase in the number of PNG students taking post-graduate studies in Wellington.

PM O’Neill is expected to also open the newly refurbished PNG High Commission building before flying into Auckland for business talks with the business community on Friday and then returns to Port Moresby on the weekend.

08.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Leaders urged to bury hatchet

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

 THERE is evidence that differences do exist among leaders in the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the Bougainville MPs in the National Parliament.

 And these differences may have an impact on Bougainville’s journey towards its political destiny.

 The recent continuous attack by these leaders blaming one another over lack of cooperation, support and performance, clearly shows that there is a rift amongst the ABG leaders and their national counterparts.

 These attacks have been ongoing for a quite some time and needs to be rectified before it leads to more divisions. 

 Many ABG leaders have been blaming the national MPs for not working in partnership 

 with them to bring more tangible developments into the communities and villages in Bougainville.

 On the other hand, some national parliamentarians seem to have withdrawn their commitment and support and are not willing to assist after disputing some of the activities done by ABG.

This reporter was recently approached by the Central Bougainville MP Jimmy Miringtoro (picture on the right) who wasted no time in blasting the ABG over the utilisation of the special K100 million that was given by the national government towards the end of last year.

This money was earmarked for high impact projects in Bougainville, however Miringtoro said more than half of that money was not used according to its intended purpose.

 Mr Miringtoro, who is also the Minister for Communications in the O’Neill-Dion government, claimed that the ABG had misused most of this funding on unbudgeted items (see separate story on page 16). 

 The above accusation by Miringtoro was outrightly denied by the ABG Finance Minister, Albert Punghau (pictured).

 He said although it was the legitimate government in Bougainville, these MPs continue to isolate themselves from working in partnership and collaboration with the ABG. 

 Punghau then said these MPs will be held responsible if all Bougainvilleans decided to become an independent nation.

 He said there were some Bougainvilleans who had initially wanted the region to remain as an autonomous state of PNG.

 However this was not the case anymore as most of them had already shifted their support towards independence after seeing that the national government was not bringing many development programs into the region.

 Mr Punghau added that Bougainvilleans are suffering from lack of basic services like health and education due to the ignorance and lack of commitment in terms of service delivery by these MPs.

 Punghau confirmed that there was indeed some division amongst the Bougainville leaders, when quizzed by this reporter for confirmation on the issue. He however maintained that the four MPs were responsible for causing this division.

 Apart from this, there are similar incidences that have already sprouted up during which leaders from both governments have been blaming the other for non-performances and non-commitment towards Bougainville’s political future. 

08.08.2013

Source: Mekamui News

PHILIP MIRIORI ON PANGUNA MINE

On the 6th of August I (ESBC: Clive Porabou pictured below) went up to Panguna to do an interview with the President of Meekamui Government Of Unity President Philip Miriori, after his Finance Minister contacted Mekamui News to run an interview on the hot topic that is going on in Bougainville the reopening of Panguna mine.

He replied with a smile and said: “Our position is loud and clear: Panguna mine will not reopen; the people will decide about the future of the mine, but after Independence not now.”

“When the leaders are saying that the referendum and independence will be possible with the reopening of the mine that is wrong, Independence is the choice of the people and in Bougainville we paid off with blood and it must come without mining.” (ESBC: Miriori threatening the Bougainville majority!)

When you say no to mining is there any other alternatives for ABG to bank on for the much-needed funds?

“ABG must talk about diversifying economy, there is tourism, cocoa, copra and the list goes on.”

There are several players talking about the mine issue, ABG, EX-COMBATANTS, LANDOWNERS WITH LAWRENCE DAVEONA, BCL and the Meekamui, if any of the above sign a MOU or an Agreement will you join in the negotiation?

“Meekamui Government Of Unity will not join any negotiation for the reopening of the mine; we suffer because of this mine, the air that we breathe was poisoned, the water we drink is full of chemicals and our food was not good during those days. BCL has left us with a big mess, division, separated families, our sacred sites were destroyed etc. (ESBC: These are the usual defamatory statements!)

When the leaders and people are talking about reopening the mine they must take into consideration that squatter’s settlements will be created and many Bougainvilleans will have no job. More destruction to my land and environment, there is that freedom and peace now that we enjoy today after the mine has closed down. In the future if you want to reopen the mine would you invite back Rio Tinto BCL? BCL has a bad record on human rights violations here so we don’t want BCL back again, there are better companies outside.”

After Independence will you talk about reopening the mine?

“Yes, because it’s our own Government and whatever comes out of mining will float onto the island, right now if we reopen it somebody else will benefit and get rich.”

On the 24th of July there was a big ceremony and a signing of memorandum of understanding between the three top Commanders is that what leads to the reopening of the mine and lifting of the checkpoint?

“There is a misunderstanding among the people and the wider community about the signing of the MOU, it’s not for the reopening of the mine but the people will have safe passage on Bougainville.”

The court case in the US has been ruled in favour of Rio Tinto and dismissed, what’s your take on that?

“When we see the story on the newspaper together with many people on Bougainville, we are not happy.

Compensation is the biggest issue on Bougainville so when there is no compensation and you talk about any big mining on Bougainville it’s going to be a big NO.”

In the mainstream media they are saying that the majority wants the mine reopened after the forums held so far, if so do you think another bloodshed is likely?

“The situation on Bougainville will go back to square one if they are talking about BCL coming back. You will accept all the problems like that, here in Panguna we will stand our ground whoever wants to reopen the mine must kill us first before he can reopening the mine.”

ESBC: This stubborn old man who already spoilt the future of two generations of young Bougainvilleans continues to spread discord and hatred while other Bougainville leaders reconcile.

President Miriori (pictured above) ended the interview by saying: “In my lifetime I don’t want to see Rio Tinto BCL come back to my homeland.”

ESBC: This is the identical statememt that made late Joseh Kabui while he was President of Bougainville. Kabui who tried to give away the island's resources to foreign conmen died of a heart attack in 2008 in Buka.

07.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Siwai District Strategic Development Plan 2013-2020

By Aloysius Laukai

The Siwai District Planning and Development, Coordination Committee approved the preparation of the District Strategic Development Plan 2013-2020 last week Wednesday.

The committee comprises of the 3 Council of Elders ,the District Administration and important development partners such as Churches, Former Combatants, and civil Society Representatives as Youths, Women Council, Co-operative Societies ,Law and Justice organizations and UNDP office in South Bougainville.

The Chairmen of the three (3) Council of Elders and the Late Executive Manager of the District Administration has requested the technical assistance of a senior planner and economist, to assist in the facilitation of the district plan.

The Plan is expected to highlight the District’s high priority programmes and strategic focus areas, indicative financial allocations and other resources target needs.

This Plan is the first to be completed in any district within the Autonomous Region. The people of Siwai expect our leaders in the ABG, such as Constituency Members and the representatives of the National Members to allocate other various Grants to fund the programmes as the people have been widely consulted in the villages and Wards on their needs such as uncompleted Peace and Reconciliations, strengthening of Traditional Authorities and Mediators, Community Empowerment activities, Infrastructure Restoration, Economic Recovery and Administrative Capacity Building.

Both the Council of Elders and the District Administration officers will be carrying out awareness to convince the sub clan groups to give land for institutional development and to potential joint venture partners.

The people of Siwai expect the ABG to give sufficient recognition to the third level of government and the District administration to implement the plan. They expect greater cooperation from their leaders and more equitable share of the grants as K100 million and the RDG from the O’neil Government.

There are significant new indicators in the Plan as industrial/economic centers in each constituencies and essential infrastructures as communication systems, hydro power feasibility, access roads to the coast and upgrading of feeder roads and reconstruction of many washed away bridges and major economic recovery programmes, as cocoa and fermentary rehabilitation, rice mills to improve Food Security problems in the District.

Lastly, the District is enjoying a period of peace and calmness due to the ongoing special operations of the combined Police and Veterans team to control the consumption of homebrew and alcohol.

Many Village people have expressed appreciation to the continuous efforts of this committee.

07.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

COURTHOUSE BRINGS HOPE SAYS MEMBER

By Aloysius Laukai in Buin

She made these remarks at the opening of the Buin courthouse in Buin today.

MRS. ROSE PIHEI said that the court house will hear many cases involving women and children and called on the women to make sure they utilize the court system to settle their problems.

The Tourism Minister also thanked the stakeholders of the project for their foresight in making sure funds were secured for this project which we have opened today.

President Momis unveils the plaque of the Courthouse

07.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BOUGAINVILLE HAS NO TIME TO WASTE

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG President DR. JOHN MOMIS says that Bougainville has no time to waste as the clock towards referendum is ticking.

He was the Guest of Honour at today’s opening of the Buin courthouse in Buin today.

DR. MOMIS said that next year the ABG in consultation with the Papua New Guinea national government will decide on the date of the Bougainville referendum wether the people of Bougainville are ready for it or not.

He said that the people must be physically fit and ready for this great grand final because the result will show how well the people of Bougainville are preparing for this referendum.

President MOMIS also thanked AUSAID through the Law and Justice program for funding the Buin Court house which he said has brought the courts closer to the people of Buin.

On the request made by the resident Judge, JOHN KAWI for accommodation for the judge, President MOMIS said that the ABG will help find accommodation for the Judge on Bougainville.

The first National Court will be held in Buin starting tomorrow.

The Ribbons is being cut by ABG President John Momis and AUSAID rep Deo Mwesigye

Justice John Kawi speaking in Buin

07.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS LAW AND JUSTICE

By Aloysius Laukai in Buin.

The Australian Government is pleased to support the work of Law and Justice on Bougainville.

This was the message from the AusAid representative on Bougainville, MR.DEO MWESIGYE.

He was also speaking at the Buin Court house opening in Buin today.

MR. MWESIGYE said that with the opening of the Buin courthouse, the people of South Bougainville will have better access to justice services.

He said that the opening signifies another success of the Law and Justice sector on Bougainville.

“ It is an important and powerful symbol of what is possible when dedicated people and a community share a commitment to peace and to the delivery of law and order services he said.”

The High cost of travelling to Buka meant justice was previously unaffordable for many people around Buin and South Bougainville as a whole.

The Autonomous Bougainville Government and Australia recognises the importance for victims of crime and for the stability of communities to have permanent justice service close to the people and today’s opening confirms this commitment.

The Buin Court house was funded by AUSAID with funds totalling FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND KINA.

Justice John Kawi walking to the stage in Buin this morning

Leaders walking to the ceremonial stage

Flower girls ready to welcome delegates

This cultural Group presented their item which included advice to the leaders Saying that All disputes can be settled through mediation

07.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Siriosi says quality is important

By Aloysius Laukai in Buin

The CEO for Law and Justice and Acting Deputy Administrator Policy, CHRIS SIRIOSI says that what happens in the Courthouse is more important than the size of the building which will be expanded as the demand presents itself.

MR. SIRIOSI was speaking at the opening of the Buin court house opening in Buin this morning.

He said the building of the courthouse in Buin was a step towards addressing law and order issues that continues to disturb the progress of development in South Bougainville.

He thanked AUSAID and NZAID for support the work of promoting law and justice on Bougainville.

07.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BUIN COMPLAINS OF CLASS

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG member for BAUBAKE who is the local member covering Buin Town, JOSEPH BUIA has blamed classes being promoted by Donors and other partners of the ABG.

Speaking as the local member for BUIN,MR BUIA who complained at the Border Post launching in Buin that funds earmarked for the KANGU Border Post was diverted to Wutung in Sandaun province said that he was not happy that the Buin courthouse was allocated ONE MILLION KINA but the building was completed with only FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND KINA.

Member Buia said that whilst he appreciated the assistance given to BUIN, the deduction and diverting of funds were creating class between the people of Bougainville.

He called on those in authority to stop making the people of South Bougainville as second class citizens of Bougainville.

07.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

NEW COURTHOUSE OPENS IN BUIN

By Aloysius Laukai in Buin

The Executive Manager for the Buin District, JOHN ITANU today thanked ABG and AusAid Law and Justice Sector for making sure that the Buin Court House was finally built to cater for the promotion of law and justice in this part of the region that is South Bougainville.

MR. ITANU made these remarks in welcoming delegates who came to Buin to witness the opening of the Buin Court House.

New Dawn FM understands when the courthouse was not available after the crisis all court cases from Buin were either held in Arawa or Buin making it hard for the Bougainville Police Service to provide witnesses to Buka during court hearings.

07.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Court House Opening

By Aloysius Laukai in Buin

Buin Courthouse opening in Buin has started with Police parade inspection by ABG President DR.JOHN MOMIS.

07.08.2013

Source: The National

Review of mining laws 

LAWS governing PNG’s mining, mining safety and mineral policy legislations are being reviewed to deal with global competition.

A major awareness drive is being planned for the Highlands, Momase and Southern regions from August 13 to 23 for public consultation before the review is finalised.

The Department of Mineral Policy and Geohazards Management (DMPG) is reviewing the principal policies and legislations, including the Mining Act 1992, Mining Safety Act 1997 and Mineral Policy.

Secretary Shadrach Himata said it would include the development of new mining sector policies to develop a globally competitive mineral policy and legislative framework.

He said the review would summarise the evolving trends in the mining industry at both the international and domestic stage, while ensuring a stable regime to encourage progress and development for the state and the people of PNG.

07.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

School girl drowns in flood 

By ROMULUS MASIU

CLASSMATES of a little five year old girl watched helplessly at the river bank as she was swept away by a flood in the Kieta District of Central Bougainville.

The school girl who comes from Poma Village in the North Nasioi Constituency attends Sivuna Elementary School. 

She was amongst other school children from Poma village who attend the nearby Sivuna Elementary School. 

Each day they have to cross the Bovei River on their way to school and back home. The Bovei River splits up to form the Tupukas and Bovong Rivers flowing through the former Bougainville Copper Limited township of Arawa.

Last Wednesday was the last day she crossed the river. 

There was a light shower of rain and a relative came to help the children cross back to the side where their village is.

The child was standing beside the river waiting for her turn when all of a sudden a huge rise of water force came rushing down and swept her off her feet. 

She drowned immediately having no chance to put up with the fast and ferocious flooding river current. 

The helper was on the other side of the river and within the same moment he jumped in to the flooding river to try and rescue her. He could not do much because the water was by then muddy and very fast. A search party of youths in the area was conducted and the body was recovered four hundred meters down the river. 

The girl’s uncle Marceline Koronaru said it was really a sad day for the people in the area as a loved one was lost again in this river which normally claims one to two lives yearly through flooding.

Meanwhile, the Arawa-based group Good Samaritan Natural Disaster Volunteers (GSNDV) shared their sorrows with the people of Poma Village by assisting them with some food for the Haus Krai. 

In receiving the goods on behalf of the Poma people, Mr Koronaru said his people were deeply touched by such assistance from GSNDV and thanked the group.

On behalf of GSNDV, Chairman Mark Niniku said as long as there was funds available in the account, the group would always reach out to promote its purposes. 

Mr Niniku further stated that the group would soon call a meeting for its members and would invite any interested person to join. 

The group was formed early this year after hosting a fundraising drive to help victims of landslides in Panguna and Tunuru. 

The Post-Courier is part of the GSNDV and is represented through its Arawa Office.

07.08.2013

Source: The National

Agencies open offices in Buin 

By ALOYSIUS LAUKAI

TWO offices have been opened in Buin, Bougainville, for the Border Development Authority and PNG Customs.

It means work on the PNG-Solomon Island Border Administration Post will begin.

The buildings contain accommodation and offices for BDA and PNG Customs officers. 

BDA acting executive chairman Fred Konga said it was good to see infrastructure development stabilise, control and manage the movement of people, goods and services in the islands of Bougainville.

He said the occasion marked an important step in re-establishing the presence of the Government’s border management agencies in Bougainville.

This is important for South Bougainville which shares a common border with the Solomon Islands.

“The issues of bio-security control and illegal human trafficking are a major concern to the Government as it will have a significant impact on the autonomous region and PNG as a whole,” he said.

“The BDA and Bougainville Administration must decide on strategic locations to derive maximum benefits from any major government investment.

“If we are to develop Kangu as the main border post, a co-ordinated approach with a common understanding is required from all stakeholders to develop it as a vehicle to trigger trade and investment opportunities.”

06.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

KONGA ON INFRASTRUCTURES

By Aloysius Laukai

The Executive Chairman for the BORDER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, FRED KONGA says that the launching of two office buildings marks the start of control system on Humans and Goods and Services movement along the common border between PNG and the Solomon Islands.

He made these remarks in Buin, South Bougainville last Frtiday.

He said that the next phase was the establishment of a Border Post either in Kangu (should it be the strategic location) or other location like Sirowai or Arawa for that matter and Surveillance Post in Tasman and other strategic locations.

MR. KONGA said that this would need a co-ordinated approach in this matter and both

BDA and the Bougainville Administration must co-operate to be able to decide on strategic locations to derive maximum benefits from any major government investment.

He stressed that If we are to develop Kangu as the main border post, a co-ordinated approach with a common understanding is required from all stakeholders to develop the border post as a vehicle to trigger Trade and Investment Opportunities.

It will require proper planning and co-ordination and financial commitments both by national and ABG to ensure the border post is achieving its intended purposes of creating economic opportunities for our local community to ultimately improve their living standard.

In order for development to take place, all stakeholders must play their part on a partnership approach with mutual understanding to progress development.

On land, he said that Land is critical to any development and will require a public partnership approach amongst landowners, the National government and the ABG.

MR. KONGA said that whilst BDA is taking the leading role in capturing the requirement for Border Posts, Surveillance posts along Economic corridor within maritime provinces and submitting development plans over the last three years, the National Government has not fully financed any major border infrastructure except WUTUNG border post in the Sandaun Province.

He said that the next phase of development will be the KANGU border post on Bougainville and WEAM Border Post in the Western Province.

The Executive Chairman said that BDA will again submit to government for funding proposal in the 2014 Budget and this require political support from our members of Parliament as well as from the ABG.

06.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SEAWEED MARKET SECURED

By Aloysius Laukai

The people of Bougainville especially the Caterets and Atolls islanders who have been trying to find market for the much talked about seaweed.

Yes, NEW DAWN FM was reliably informed by a Bougainville Commerce team currently seeking market opportunity in the People’s Republic of China that yesterday they visited a Seaweed factory in China and that they have secured market for Bougainville seaweed and other commodities.

MR. RAYMOND MOWORU Senior Coordinator Investments with the Bougainville Commerce office told New Dawn FM from XIAMEN CITY near TAIWAN that this will solve the problem of market opportunity between Bougainville and China.

MR.MOWORU also commented on the work of NEW DAWN FM he said that when you are in a faraway land you will really appreciate our updated news coverages on the New Dawn FM site in which people can also comment on.

06.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BUIN FLYING HIGH

By Aloysius Laukai

The small town of Buin in South Bougainville seems to get all the World attention due to its commitment to see development.

Last week the Border Development Authority launched two offices for its Border post and Customs and Quarantine facilities.

This would be followed by the actual building of a Border town in Kangu on the beach overlooking the Shortland islands in the Solomon group.

The border development dubbed by government insiders as a catalyst for development for the South Bougainville and Bougainville as a whole.

AND this Wednesday the Magisterial Service of Papua New Guinea will officially open the BUIN COURT HOUSE.

This would definitely bring the enforcement of Law and Justice into this part of the region.

New Dawn FM will broadcast live from BUIN to its listeners in Buka and also its viewers on the internet will also monitor these activities on  www.bougainville.typepad.com

06.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Youths Gather in Mabiri

By Aloysius Laukai in Mabiri

More than 1063 Bougainville Diocese Catholic Youths Bible convention will end tomorrow at the Mabiri Pastoral Centre.

The convention started on August 3rd to 7th that is tomorrow.

Coordinator Deacon James Soli said that the convention is the first for the diocese.

Youths came from all the 33 parishes including the three new parishes declared by Bishop Bernard Unabali on Pentecost Sunday.

These three new parishes are Kulula in the Wisai area, Karato up in the mountains of Eivo and Buka town parish.

05.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Buin Police Commander

Pictured are Buin Police Commander Inspector Andrew, ACP ELUH and Solomon's Mr Lapo taken during the meeting at Taro. Picture by Aloysius Laukai

05.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Roland Welcomes Delegation

By Aloysius Laukai

The Executive Manager for Taro island Administration in the Solomon Island's Choisel Province, ROLAND LAPO said the Solomon Islands are equally concerned at the UN controlled and UN monitored activities that are happening at the PNG/SOLOMON ISLANDS border.

He made these remarks when welcoming a PNG delegation to the TARO Provincial capital last Saturday.

Mr.Lapo said that his administration was happy to work with the Bougainville counterparts in trying to reduce trafficking of both human and illegal drugs and firearms on the common border.

The team from PNG included Border Development Authority officers,Customs and Quarantine officers, Censorship and officers from the National Planning Office.

And from Bougainville side was led by the Assistant Police Commissioner for Bougainville Police service and his officers and ABG Minsters for LLG and Communication,JOE NOPE and the ABG Minister for Tourism,ROSE PIHEI .

Media personals were from NBC Bougainville, Border Development Authority and New Dawn FM.

The trip was made after launching of the Border post facility in Buin last week and visiting the other Border post in the Solomon Island side was the start of a good networking and collaboration between the two offices.

Another date will be set between the two sides to discuss ways they can collaborate to better share resources and secure a good working relations on our common border.

05.08.2013

Source: EMTV

Former Panguna Combatants Reconcile

A reconciliation ceremony between three former combatants was staged recently in Panguna.

The ex-combatant leaders went through a traditional ceremony conducted by women.

They signed an MOA and handed over the bow and arrow as a symbolic gesture of laying down of arms.

Women’s leader Therese Jaintong told the three commanders that their act of reconciliation was reassuring and welcomed.

It demonstrates commitment towards the efforts of the Panguna peace building strategy towards referendum.

The Panguna Peace Building strategy was set up by the Autonomous Bougainville government in 2011, so that communities could learn to trust each other again.

Ishmel Toroama spoke on behalf of the ex-combatants. He described it as an emotional day.

The ceremony as also attended by representatives of AusAID.

The Autonomous Bougainville Panguna Peace building strategy has the backing of the governments of PNG and Australia, with AusAID providing K1.28 Million to complement the ABG’s FUNDING COMMITMENT OF 1 MILLION KINA.

05.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

BDA opens office in Buin

By ROMULUS MASIU in Buin

COSTING and design of the Kangu Border Post in Buin, South Bougainville, is complete and will be submitted to the National Government to be included in next year’s budget.

Border Development Authority (BDA) Executive Chairman Fred Konga made the announcement in Buin Town during the launching and commissioning of BDA facilities on Friday. The two facilities -a house and office space - will be used by BDA and Customs officers. 

Present also were PNG Customs Commissioner Ray Paul and first assistant secretary for Monitoring and Evaluation Division, department of National Planning and Implementation Jacob Areman, Bougainville Regional MP Joe Lera and MP for South Bougainville and Minister for Bougainville Affairs and Autonomy Implementation Steven Kamma Pirika.

Mr Konga said while BDA has taken the lead in capturing the requirements for border posts, surveillance posts along the economic corridor within the Maritime Provinces and submitting development plans over the last three years, the National Government has not fully financed any major border infrastructure except for the Wutung Border Post in West Sepik province. The next phase of development will be Kangu Border Post in Bougainville and Weam Border Post in Western Province, whereby BDA will again submit a funding proposal to government for the 2014 budget and too it will require political support from the members of parliament as well as from ABG.

Mr Konga said ABG must take over ownership of this project in terms of counter-funding commitments so that a whole government approach is achieved.

This occasion is a significant event in enhancing the PNG-Solomon Islands border development capacity and its further potential as a socio-economic investment corridor. “The two buildings are part and partial of a number of infrastructure in the BDA master plan for Buin, including the development of a border post in Kangu.”

05.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Guns, drugs cross border

By ROMULUS MASIU in Buin

GUNS trade across the PNG-Solomon Islands border through Bougainville is rife and needs to be addressed quickly by relevant authorities.

Executive Manager for Buin District John Itanu highlighted this on Friday at the launching and commissioning of two buildings for the Border Development Authority in Buin. The two houses with office spaces will be used by officers from BDA and Customs to oversee the proposed Kangu Border Post. “Weapons and drug smuggling across the PNG-Solomon Islands border through Bougainville is an everyday activity and needs to be addressed as soon as possible,” Mr Itanu said.

He added that for the last two years it had been noted that more guns were being moved in and out of Bougainville through the PNG-Solomon Islands borderline, urging authorities concerned to step in quickly and address the ongoing issues.

Mr Itanu told BDA executive chairman Fred Konga, Customs Commissioner Ray Paul, Bougainville Regional Member Joe Lera, and Bougainville Affairs Minister Steven Kamma Pirika and other leaders in the presence of the people of Buin that it is high time the BDA project is fast tracked and implemented to address such issues occurring along the border. “Fast track infrastructural developments for the border post to collectively address the issues of guns, drugs and people moving across the border. Agencies must come and help out to monitor the border,” Mr Itanu said. He said the projects in Buin had been shelved for a long time with money diverted to other places to do other projects pinpointing the BDA project as one of these projects where K10 million earmarked for the Kangu Border Post has been diverted to build the Wutung Border Post in West Sepik Province.

Other projects in Buin that have been shelved and funding diverted to other projects in other areas include the renovation of Buin Secondary School, Buin Health Centre and Buin Vocational School. 

Mr Itanu challenged and urged leaders to seriously look at Buin as one of the economic centers through its PNG-Solomon Islands border status and start funding vital projects such as road, infrastructural developments. He called on BDA to also assist in developing the Buin-Kieta section of the highway as it will greatly benefit the Kangu Border Post development.

05.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

PNGDF needs good admin

By ROMULUS MASIU in Buin

It is of Papua New Guinea’s national interest that the Defence Organisation is well administered both financially and administratively to meet the Government and the peoples’ requirements and expectations by building the organisations capacity to deal with the current global/regional security challenges as well as nation building.

Despite many years of being crippled by heavy criticisms of mal-management, Defence has successfully turned yet another stone this week in its continuous progress to restore back the long lost dignity and integrity of the Organisation.

The Organisation Activity Managers both within the PNGDF and the Department of Defence gathered since Monday last week in a closed door yet very noteworthy Defence Organisation Mid-Year Budget Review week where they were all tasked to present specific and detailed reports on their expenditure according to their initial Expenditure Plans put together in January 2013. 

Last week’s Mid-Year Expenditure Review held at the Non-Commission Officers (NCOs) Mess at Murray Barracks has set the platform for Activity Managers and the Organisation as a whole to confirm that all expenditures are accordingly spent on the activities that were planned for and outlined within the 2013 expenditure plans.

As the Organisational Heads, Commander PNGDF – Brigadier General Francis Agwi and Secretary for Defence John Sini Porti both strongly highlighted that the organisation’s budget is the key element to successful progress and achievement of the its goals and developments, and all managers must be administratively focused to drive and achieve the expected outcomes.

Defence has also taken the largest cut of the 2013 Government budget apart from Education and health and this requires sharp administrators to prove that Defence can meet the demand of the Government and provide necessary output for the people of Papua New Guinea. The review workshop also established the underlying challenge to all managers to be administratively focussed and to identify the remaining appropriate planned activities indicated in the expenditure plans within the last remaining months of 2013, and to implement them accordingly before 2014.

The one week workshop also allowed an indirect audit of all expenditures in the past six months and enabled the organisation to focus on the last remaining months of 2013, which would establish the platform for the end of the year Budget Review, as well as creating the framework to put together the Defence Annual Report at the end of the year. 

Defence is effectively resourced by the Government this year 2013, to carry out its core function of service delivery and to protect the people of Papua New Guinea from unnecessary threats to its national security, which ignites the need to be accountable in the way the peoples’ money is budgeted and used within the organisation. 

Over many years, expenditures have not been spent according to expenditure plans, which have always developed serious allegations of misappropriation, mal-practice and misuse within the organisation.

The offices held by the officers belong to the state and the people of Papua New Guinea and the significant move to tighten all expenditure and review plans according to the set development and progress plans all year around, is a unique turn around by the Defence Organisation to monitor and make sure the allocated budget is spent extremely well for the benefit of PNG Government and its people. This week, all Activity Managers reconvened again for an intensive 2014 budget workshop. 

The organisation believes it is essential for an early start to prepare the 2014 budget to allow enough time for all Branch Heads and Activity Managers to critically identify and capture every possible activity throughout the organisation. 

04.08.2013

Source: Mekamui News

PANGUNA MINE NEGOTIATIONS, WORKSHOP FOR EXCOMBATANTS.

by mekamui 

Central Ex-combatants

On Thursday 1st of July at 7am I got a called from my fellow comrades asking if I am free and would be willing to join them and go to Buka to attend a meeting for the Ex-Combatants, I told them yes so they picked me up. After picking four former senior BRA men we drove straight to Buka.

When I asked the comrades what’s the agenda for the meeting they told me it was an urgent one and nobody is sure about it. When we arrived in Buka we got words that it’s about mining but not a thing was given in Black and white till the 2nd of August.

Many of the Ex-combatants from the three regions of Bougainville [South, Central and North] came. As we arrived in Hujitena High School Hall I saw the topic, "Panguna Mine Negotiations workshop for ex-combatants". Professor Ciaran O’Faircheallaigh from Griffith University who has been funded by AusAid with $613,267 will run the workshop. It started with introduction by the ABG leaders with all talking much in favor of reopening Panguna mine because ABG is so desperate for money.

Professor Ciaran O’Faircheallaigh's presentation was more like he is talking on behalf of BCL and trying to persuade the Ex-combatants into agreeing for possible reopening of the mine. This makes former BRA General Sam Kauona to be on his toes and fired comments during questions and answer time. Sam Kaouna and his group were very furious too on section where it says if the compensation is high and reopening the mine gets to a deadlock cut down the compensation demands. Sam told Professor Ciaran O’Faircheallaigh that he is watering down the demands and this can’t be done when blood has been spilt fighting over the land.

Some members of the Ex-combatants from North spoke in favor of reopening the mine, however a strong opposition came from the Central region Ex-combatants who wants the Bougainville mining law to be completed and pass and referendum first before talks of reopening starts.

The Central Region Veteran’s affairs spoke person Junior Dake when speaking before the end of the workshop says that reopening the mine is not a problem as Sam Kaouna and Ismael Toroama mentioned but our mining law must be completed first so that we will have the power and rights over our resources. He further stated that he’s from North Nasioi where Arawa town is, during those days our mothers and sisters used to be raped in front of our eyes by the squatters who were here because of mining so this must be taken into consideration. We don’t want a repeat of that again.

This is the main issue which North Nasioi people are concern much about it. From the survey carried out by the women leaders in North Nasioi, 70% don’t want reopening Panguna mine before referendum because they don’t want outsiders coming into Arawa looking for jobs and start building squatter settlements as we are still under the freedom of movement under Png law.

Ex combatants at the Hujitena School Hall

02.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Arawa to Buin road in bad state 

By ROMULUS MASIU

PARTS of the Arawa to Buin highway has gone very bad and impassable as found out by a high powered delegation from Port Moresby on their way to Buin yesterday.

Representatives from the Border Development Authority, Customs, NAQIA, National Fisheries Authority, Prime Ministers Department and National Executive Council (NEC), National Planning and Monitoring Department and other very important stakeholders could do nothing but ‘enjoy’ a very bumpy three hours ride from Arawa to Buin.

From the comfort of the sealed National Capital District roads, the delegation had to put up with a bone wrenching road trip all the way from Buka to Buin.

The delegation was on their way to Buin to commission and launch Border Development Authority Facilities in Buin, South Bougainville. 

The launching is taking place today.

Among other important dignitaries is Bougainville Regional Member Joe Lera, Commissioner for Customs Ray Paul and BDA Executive Chairman Fred Konga and Assistant Secretary Macro Planning Division Michael Kumung. 

They witnessed the very bad condition of the road that the population of South Bougainville including Siwai, Bana and Buin uses everyday to travel to Arawa and Buka for vital government services.

Vehicles traveling to Buin with the representatives had a very rough ride not to mention sections of the road that deteriorated due to the never ending rainfall experienced in Southern Region. 

Parts of Koromira to Toimanapu Plantation and Mongai in Buin were very bad. 

It is believed Member for South Bougainville and Minister for Bougainville Affairs Steven Kamma Pirika will also officiate at the BDA ceremony. 

He and Mr Lera are from Siwai in South Bougainville, where the roads has gone from bad to worse in the recent months due to heavy downpour and heavy traffic by big vehicles transporting cocoa and cargoes to and from Buin and Arawa.

Highway driver Leo Tomitom who frequents the highway almost every day said it was high time the authorities seriously look at sealing the road as it had become nightmares for the drivers and passengers.

02.08.2013

Source: The National

Government yet to fund four district by-elections in Bougainville 

By DOROTHY MARK

THE Government is yet to fund the by-election for four districts in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, former electoral commissioner for ABG Reitama Taravaru said in Madang yesterday.

Taravaru said by-elections for Lule, Rau, Hagogohe and Kongara were still pending and required K1.5 million to conduct fresh polls for all four.

“I have prepared a budget of all costs involved and submitted to the national parliament through the ABG administration and have waited for a response till now,” Taravaru said.

He said the Bougainville administration had committed K500,000 to conduct the four by-elections but that was not enough to cater for the polling processes.

Taravaru said the K500,000 would cater for training and travel costs only where officials would travel in from Buka and Buin to meet in Arawa.

 “It was a requirement for the government to conduct by-elections in Bougainville,” he said.

He said leaders responsible for the by-election of the four districts approached him many times and had given up confronting him.

Taravaru said the Bougainville government had not listened to his advice, thus the delay in the by-elections for the four districts. 

Taravaru said his term of service to the electoral commission had expired on April 30 and it was up to the Bougainville administration to appoint a new person or extend his time of service.

02.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

NOPE ON BORDER

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG Minister for LLG and Communications, JOSEPH NOPE says that the border with Solomon Islands needs to be sorted out once Bougainville is Independent.

Speaking at the welcome ceremony of the BORDER and CUSTOMS officials in Buin last night, MR. NOPE said our people from the Western Solomons must become part of the Bougainville region as they are relatives of the people of Bougainville.

MR. NOPE said that the people of Western Province especially Shortland islands should be part of Bougainville as they are very close to Bougainville.

The Minister was yesterday taken to KANGU where he saw for the first time how close the border was from Bougainville.

02.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MINISTER WILL SUPPORT BDA

by Aloysius Laukai in Buin.

The Minister for Bougainville Affairs and member for South Bougainville, STEVEN PIRIKA says that he would support BDA management to seek more funds for the KANGU BORDER POST in Buin, South Bougainville.

He made these remarks at the launching of the BDA facilities in Buin today.

MR. PIRIKA said that talk of the development of KANGU Border post was made in 2007 and funds were allocated in 2008 but nothing has eventuated ever since.

Minister PIRIKA also questioned where the TEN MILLION KINA allocated for the KANGU BORDER POST was diverted to.

He said these funds need to be transferred to BDA for work on the KANGU BORDER POST to commence.

MR. PIRIKA also announced that the road between KANGU and Buin town will be sealed this year because he has secured funds for this project.

02.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BANAM CHALLENGES

By Aloysius Laukai in Buin

The ABG Minister for Public Service and member for TONSU, JOEL BANAM has challenged the of Bougainville to think positively and support the ABG by helping themselves.

He made these remarks in Buin during the official launching of the BORDER DEVELOPMENT facilities in Buin today.

MR.BANAM told the people in Buin and broadcasted live on New Dawn FM in Buka that Bougainvilleans need to wake up now and dirty their hands as nobody from outside will help Bougainville.

He said if Bougainvilleans want the dream of having a better future the key is in their hands.

The Minister said that the golden opportunity is here and people must make use of it.

He said that the biggest desire that leaders of Bougainville and including the ABG President DR. JOHN MOMIS is total unification for Bougainville.

When Bougainville is united and talking one language, they this would mean they are now ready for referendum.

The Minister represented the ABG President at this important occasion.

02.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BDA EXECUTIVE MAKES COMMITMENT

By Aloysius Laukai

The Executive Chairman of the BORDER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, FRED KONGA says that as a State Representative it’s good to be here among the chiefs and the leaders of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in this small but important occasion in bringing- in the presence of the National government back into the critical border areas of Bougainville to propel infrastructure development to stabilise, control and manage movement of Human, goods and services into the islands of Bougainville.

He said that this occasion marks a small but important step in re-establishing the presence of National Government Border Management Agencies in Bougainville, particularly in South Bougainville which is sharing our common border with our Melanesian brothers in the Solomon Islands.

The issues of Bio Security Control and Illegal Human Trafficking are a major concerns to the National Government as it will have major significant impact of the Cash Economic of the Autonomous region and PNG as a whole.

The opening of the two Border Management office and residential building in Buin Township this morning signal the presence of the National Government in Bougainville particularly in the management of our borders.

As a nation, it is crucial that we start protecting our natural resources both on land and sea in the Maritime Provinces.

He said that the lack of infrastructure was hampering our efforts in this area.

Border Development Authority was established to address the very core issues of Border Infrastructures in terms of co-ordinating and securing funding to systems for our Border Management Agencies to effectively carry out their mandated functions.

We also carry out Bio Security to protect our cash crop economy, our fishing industry, Human Trafficking and control of goods and services coming into our country.

Whilst we have a long way yet to establish proper control, we are starting to enhance our border management agencies particularly the frontline agencies like Customs and other relevant stakeholders to provide office and accommodation space.

This occasion I hope will spark further infrastructure development in terms of establishing proper border posts in critical areas around our beautiful country.

When I say critical areas, I mean prioritising and identifying strategic locations along our international borders. It will require a whole of government approach to capture these strategic areas so that we are not only protecting our sovereignties and our resources but also developing human capital and Trade and Investment opportunities for our border communities which have not seen any basic government services over the past years.

This occasion over the two office buildings will mark the start of control system on Humans and Goods and Services movement along the common border between PNG and the Solomon Islands.

The next phase is the establishment of a Border Post either in Kangu (should it be the strategic location) or other location like Sirowai or Arawa for that matter and Surveillance Post in Tasman and other strategic locations.

It would need a co-ordinated approach in this matter.

Both BDA and Bougainville Administration must co-operate to be able to decide on strategic locations to derive maximum benefits from any major government investment.

If we are to develop Kangu as the main border post, a co-ordinated approach with a common understanding is required from all stakeholders to develop the border post as a vehicle to trigger Trade and Investment Opportunities.

It will require proper planning and co-ordination and financial commitments both by national and ABG to ensure the border post is achieving its intended purposes of creating economic opportunities for our local community to ultimately improve their living standard.

In order for development to take place, all stakeholders must play their part on a partnership approach with mutual understanding to progress development.

Land is critical to any development and will require a public partnership approach amongst landowners, the National government and the ABG.

MR. KONGA said that whilst BDA is taking the leading role in capturing the requirement for Border Posts, Surveillance posts along Economic corridor within maritime provinces and submitting development plans over the last three years, the National Government has not fully financed any major border infrastructure except WUTUNG border post in Sandaun Province.

He said that the next phase of development will be the KANGU border post on Bougainville and WEAM Border Post in the Western Province.

The Executive Chairman said that BDA will again submit to government for funding proposal in the 2014 Budget and this require political support from our members of Parliament as well as from the ABG.

02.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Presentation of gifts Here Regional member is presenting this pig to the boss of customs

Ribbon of one of the houses us cut by the ABG minister Joel BANAM , PIRIKA and Fred Konga

Celebration time

Presentation time Bougainville Affairs Minister Steven PIRIKA presenting Ray Paul in Buin this afternoon.

 MP Steven Pirika giving his speech

BDA Executive Chairman FRED KONGA welcomed to the stage in Buin

BDA EXECUTIVE MANAGER FRED KONGA giving his speech in Buin

Paul Ray Commissioner for PNG Custom Service speaking at the ceremony

Students at the stage to present flowers

02.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ITANU WELCOMES DELEGATE

By Aloysius Laukai in Buin

The Executive Manager for Buin, JOHN ITANU says that the BDA activities needs to be speeded up as a lot of illegal activities are being committed daily on the border.

He said without border suveillance facilities the work of managing these activities on the PNG Solomon Islands border.

MR .ITANU made these remarks when welcoming the delegates at the BDA facilities launching in Buin this morning.

MR ITANU said that Buin has a potential to move the region if the national government completes its BDA activities in Buin.

Leaders on stage, Bougainville Regional Member JOE LERA,JOEL BANAM ABGminister for public services, JOEL BANAM and Bougainville Affairs Minister STEVEN PIRIKA and Fred KONGA BDA executive chairman

Flag raising ceremony

Ceremony has started in Buin

02.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BUINSET 

Picture of settings at the stage for the official launching BDA setup in Buin South Bougainville. By Aloysius Laukai in Buin

Pictured are From left QUARANTINE Officer, Moses Hilu, Victoria Jawai and,Dellan Towaipi from PNG Customs Service,Oliver Teno from the National Fisheries Authority.

01.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

UNLOADING IN BUIN

By Aloysius Laukai in Buin

Although out in far South Coastal ships do service these ports regularly as this AGMARK Ship was seen unloading cargoes at Buin's Kangu wharf this afternoon.

Agmark Shipping services the Buin port and also picks Cocoa and Copra from the farmers in these part of the world.

01.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Kuanai Supports Reconciliation

By Aloysius Laukai

A Bougainvillean Businessman, THOMAS KUANAI has supported the decision by former commanders,ISMAEL TOROAMA,MOSES PIPIRO and CHRIS UMA to reconcile and support the ABG in its efforts to fast track preparation of the region for Referendum.

Mr Kuanai told NEW DAWN FM in Buka this week that the efforts by all Bougainvilleans to reconcile and look at development issues was a step in a right direction.

He said that Bougainvilleans are hardworking people and can fast track a lot of activities if supported b the ABG.

MR.KUANAI said that whilst ll these are good signs,the ABG must also do its part in settling all it owes to Business houses throughout the region.

He said that many Business houses are at the verge of shutting down because bills owed by the ABG and its administration.

He said many bills have been outstanding in the last three years and the Authorities must act upon them quickly.

Mr Kuanai concluded by saying that real reconciliation can be reached if all Bougainvilleans are happy, united and geared up for the REFERENDUM that should be held anytime between the years of 2015 and 2020.

01.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

RUGBY UNION NEWS

By Aloysius Laukai

Good news for Bougainville, A Bougainville player has been selected to play representative football outside of Bougainville.

This was announced today by the President of Bougainville Rugby Union, PETER TSIAMALILI JUNIOR in Buka today.

He said that Our very own Rugby Union Super star, home grown talent, Hubert Tseraha has been drafted into the ACT Brumbies Development squad.

Hubert is under going High performance Training and will be hoping to sign on a contract with a Club affiliated to the ACT Brumbies.

Young Hubert Tseraha is the first ever player to be coming out from the Black Orchid Rugby Sevens Team that has now broken new ground for Bougainville Sports.

Bougainville Rugby Union President and all it's players and Executives are proud of his continuous achievements.

01.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Children must be respected

By Tapo Tovilu

All children whatever their differences and races have rights and for them to be cared and nurtured for.

Joyce Tsereha from the Community Policing Sector says that children have the right not to be abused and be beaten.

She says that as parents and relatives we must care for them and the well bring up of their education also must be a priority for us.

She added that the discrimination of both male and female by another is wrong and should not be encouraged.

She added that as the children of Bougainville are our future we must care and nature them as they are the ones who will take Bougainville forward.

01.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Calls for projects to be owned

By Tapo Tovilu

Projects that are implemented in rural areas must be owned by the people and respected as it will benefit them in the long run.

The abuses of power by land owners and principle stakeholders of land in which a project or any development venture is destroying many development work which have occurred in many areas.

Concerned land owner and a principal stakeholder in the Torokina Oil palm project has called for respect and care for the project which is slowly taking shape.

He made these comments amidst rumours that he explained are damaging the good name of the developer and the whole project itself.

The person who wishes to remain anonymous says that many projects in rural areas in Bougainville have been hampered and at many times turned down due to disgruntled land owners.

He says that as the time for our rebuilding and growth major high impact projects must be left to develop so that we as Bougainvilleans benefit.

He made a call to other land owners to not waist any opportunities as many of these projects are gifts to our people.

Pictured at Kangu Tourism Minister, ROSE PIHEI( in Red)Communications and LLG minister, JOE NOPE(pacific shirt) and Public Service Minister JOEL BANAM and their staff with driver (left) Peter Kakai

01.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BURNT MV SOLOMON QUEEN SAILS

By Aloysius Laukai

One of the three Star ships burnt in Buka and still floating where it was burnt cut loose from its other two sisters and floated into Buka town this afternoon.

According to eye witnesses the tide was going towards Ieta village when the ship floated out off its ropes and sailed towards Buka town.

They told New Dawn FM that it won't be a threat to the houses like the Kuri Village Resort as the tide was slow when the ship sailed towards the resort.

01.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE CHIEF VISIT PNG

From PUBLIC AFFAIRS -PMSB story

The Australian Chief of the Defence Force (CDF), General David Hurley, AC, DSC, and his wife Mrs Linda Hurley will be visiting Papua New Guinea (PNG) from 1 to 3 August in support of our enduring PNG‑Australia defence partnership.

This will be General Hurley’s inaugural visit to PNG as CDF, and he will be taking time to meet with PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) troops in Port Moresby and Wewak.

General Hurley will meet with his counterpart, Commander of the PNGDF, Brigadier General Francis Agwi, DMS, CBE, and discuss ways in which Australia and PNG can work together to ensure that our region is safe and secure.

“The PNGDF has been an important contributor to regional operations, such as the Regional Assistance Mission in Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and is important that we build on our experience” said Australia’s Defence Adviser in Port Moresby Colonel Dick Parker.

During his visit, General Hurley will also meet with Defence Secretary Mr John Porti and senior PNG Government officials to discuss ways to increase defence ties between our countries. This follows the signing of a PNG-Australia Defence Cooperation Arrangement by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in May this year.

“The Defence Cooperation Arrangement recognises the maturity of the defence relationship between PNG and Australia” said Colonel Parker. “The Arrangement will be used as framework to deliver an expanded program of Defence Cooperation Program activities in PNG, which this year will grow to approximately A$27 million.”

Demonstrating the special bond shared between our two countries, Mrs Hurley will be accompanying General Hurley, and take the opportunity to meet with PNGDF families. Mrs Hurley will also experience Port Moresby’s significant cultural and historical sights.

General Hurley assumed his current appointment as CDF on 4 July 2011. He became a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the Australian Defence Force in 2010. General Hurley was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his service in Somalia during Operation SOLACE (Somalia) in 1993.

01.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

KUANAI ON SERVICES

By Aloysius Laukai

A Buka businessman, THOMAS KUANAI says that many businesses were not performing to full capacity because of lack of Government support.

He told New Dawn FM that ABG owes many local business houses and this kills the initiative of locals to go into business.

The Businessman also said that other assistance like Bank Guarantees and Insurance for companies were other issues the ABG Division of Commerce must address.

He said that once this is done Bougainville would be set for development.

01.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ABG PRESIDENT ON GOVERNMENT

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG President DR. JOHN MOMIS says that establishing a government after the ten year civil war as a mammoth task for the people of Bougainville to embark on.

He was talking this week on Ne Dawn FM.

DR. MOMIS said that establishing a government after a natural disaster was difficult but can be managed easily then managing a man-made disaster like the Bougainville conflict.

He said this was why the ABG has been slow in rebuilding Bougainville as it has to overcome a lot of issues like traumatized citizens.

The ABG President also assured the people that it will be time before everything will come in place and their government will eventually function as expected.

He said many critics continue to frustrate the process but its easy talking from the outside and once you are in, you will see the real picture.

01.08.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BUIN PACKED

By Aloysius Laukai in Buin

The famous Cowboy town of Buin in South Bougainville will be packed tomorrow for the launching of Border Development Facilities to start the Border post operation of monitoring the border.

Two accommodation and office facilities will be opened tomorrow to house the Customs and Quarantine Section and the Border Post personal.

Stories of the border development in Buin South Bougainville started as early as 2007 but funds to start the program started in 2008.

And the arrival of the MV BOUGAINVILLE ATOLLS boosted the presence of the BDA in Bougainville.

According to the plans for BUIN as the South West Corridor will have customs and clearance facilities and a separate town at Kangu will be built accommodate the facilities.

For tomorrows launching, officers from BDA and the national government arrived in Buka yesterday and stayed for the night in Arawa and finally arrived in Buin today for tomorrows launching.

ABG team included three ministers, the PUBLIC SERVICE MINISTER representing ABG President, JOEL BANAM and Communications and LLG Minister which covers border areas and the Minister for Tourism, ROSE PIHEI.

01.08.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Bougainville women meet in Arawa

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

WOMEN leaders and representatives from the different organisations in Bougainville are currently undergoing a weeklong gender awareness workshop in Arawa, Central Bougainville. The staging of this workshop is an initiative of the Central Bougainville women’s representative in the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Joan Jerome, and is being funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Facilitators of the workshop include UNFPA representatives and other refutable women leaders based in Port Moresby and Bougainville who have in-depth knowledge on cross-cutting issues affecting women. 

According to the president of the Bougainville Women’s Federation Hona Holan, this is the first time for such workshops to be conducted in Bougainville. 

She said many times it was the women groups in Bougainville who usually conduct discussions amongst themselves to identify and address issues affecting them, however this time they are privileged to have key women figures and others updating them on issues taking place both within Bougainville and PNG. Mrs Holan said the participants are very happy to have attended the workshop and looking forward to contributing their ideas and support towards the agendas. She added that the women were also happy with UNFPA for funding the workshop. Mrs Holan said one of the topics that will be covered during the workshop is the staging of awareness on the National Women’s Act 2013 and how to implement it. Other topics to be covered will be based on the legislative reform in PNG, human rights issues and the PNG human periodic report which Bougainville should also actively participate in. During the workshop, BWF will also be given a chance to advocate on the different roles and responsibilities it has already conducted. They will also be outlining their intended plans to be carried out in the years to come. Meanwhile, Mrs Holan said the participating women leaders will be asking UNPFA to fund similar programs in the district level. This is because not many women will be attending such programs when it is being conducted in a central location. 

These women are from Asafa in the rural outskirts of Northern Province and they are all ready to prepare a feast. They are pictured showing their vegetables that are halfway through being peeled.