News 02.2013.1

22.02.2013

Source: ESBC Research

Addendum

By chance we found this interesting interview recently...

Source: EMTV

Business PNG - Mr. Peter Taylor, Australian PNG Business Council 

on Thursday, 06 September 2012. 

www.emtv.com.pg/component/zoo/item/business-png-peter-taylor-australian-business-council

Mr. Peter Taylor, President, Australian PNG Business Council on:

• Australia PNG Council, it's members and who the oragnization represents
• The scholarship that the council offers that is open to Papua New Guinea
• Challenges and highlights of business opportunities

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SECOND FORUM ON PANGUNA NEGOTIATIONS

By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville is preparing for the second regional forum on Panguna negotiations for North Bougainville mainland, to be held at the Hutjena Secondary School hall next week. 

The two-days forum will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

According to the programme, the forum is for SELAU/SUIR, KUNUA,TINPUTZ and TOROKINA.

They have removed TOROKINA from South Bougainville due to their accessibility to Buka.

The Minister for Mining, MICHAEL ONI will officially welcome participants to the forum and the Keynote address would be made by the ABG President, DR. JOHN MOMIS who will also officially open the FORUM.

Other forums would also be held in CENTRAL Bougainville for the people of Central Bougainville and South Bougainville for the people from the South Bougainville.

The meeting is trying educate the people on the stand the ABG is taking on the future of Panguna after negotiations and is an opportunity to also get the views of the people.

22.02.2013

Source: Leonard Fong Roka Blog

Tall J, O’orang & MTRL alluvial mining in the Tumpusiong Valley 

by Leonard Fong Roka

As way back as 2008, an Edwin Moses from Sireronsi village and an Amos Ove from Kongara were in an underground contact with Americans, Steve Strauss and Mike Holbrooke. Their dialogue was an interest to tap into the lucrative alluvial gold panning in Central Bougainville.

Jaba Industries company logo

Then they connected the Americans and their company Tall J whom were said to be specialized in small scale mining to the so called Meekamui Government of Panguna led by Philip Miriori (president) and Philip Takaung (vice president) a pair that, when talking about BCL to the media had being so anti-mining.

In early 2009, Edwin Moses, Amos Ove and Philip Takaung formed their own company under the blessing of the Meekamui Government which they named O’orang with all executives from their respective villages and Amos Ove as the manager and Edwin Moses as director to start formal negotiations with the Americans.

Tumpusiong Valley sedimentattion that hosts the gold

After O’orang was established, Tall J money began entering Bougainville. O’orang was assigned to lay out the ground work for possible mining operations in Panguna, especially the Tumpusiong Valley where Amos Ove was married. The valley had tones of gold washed from the Panguna mine’s long operations and today it is one of the main alluvial gold attractions in Kieta. The company’s attempts to lure the targeted people were often met with opposition but the report that went to America was of positive progress.

So back in America, there was excitement to have established a link on one of Pacific’s richest islands and their landowners, from debriefs O’orang passed on from Bougainville. Thus money flowed in and O’orang members earned American money and drove around in new vehicles. 

In mid-2009, the Americans and O’orang met in Honiara to finalize a go-ahead for a joint venture on establishing an alluvial gold mining operation in Panguna. A week later, a team of nine Americans arrived in Panguna with a Komatsu front-hand loader and three other equipment for sampling and other preparations under the leadership of Steve Strauss to learn that nothing had being done out of their money.

Jaba Industries operations site in the Tumpusiong Valley

Spending months in Panguna, with Philip Takaung also renting rooms to them, they tried to sort things out themselves. Half of the Americans returned seeing that their money was wasted on liars that the people hardly respected. Even Amos Ove was making his own money by having the mechanical loader on hire after they were chased out of the Tumpusiong Valley in their first attempt. But the other half stayed on under the leadership of Steve Strauss and Mike Holbrooke. 

With the Americans around them and Amos Ove gone due to illness, Philip Takaung and Edwin Moses began to fast track negotiations with various people around Kieta. They visited the Eivo area; went into certain parts of Kokoda; frisked the whole Panguna valley for partners, especially the Tumpusiong Valley. They entered Kupe, where an Australian company once had a gold mining operation in the 1930s, three times and on the fourth visit, angry Kupe people chased them.

By Christmas 2009, all Americans left accept Strauss who was so concerned in finding ways to recover the money they had spent. By early 2010, the Americans had spent some K1.7 million through O’orang in order to secure alluvial gold mining operations with the people.

Mr. Michael Tona, MTRL deputy chairman

As the year was fast winding down Strauss saw no hope and was packing to leave Bougainville when a Michael Dendai and Michael Tona who were not involve in Tall J first attempts in the Tumpusiong Valley walked into him in Panguna with a claim that they and their families owned much of the west Tumpusiong Valley tailings area.

Strauss was relieved and forged an agreement with the pair and also donated an open bag land cruiser to serve the Tumpusiong communities that was controlled by Michael Dendai since. 

In a series of meetings held at Panguna within a period of two months, a new company, Middle Tailings Resources Limited (MTRL) led by Michael Dendai and Michael Tona was born. O’orang also fought hard not to be left out in this new relationship and was accepted and Strauss again fought to secure more off shore funding for this new operation.

Closer look at the camp in the middle of the BCL created barren land

This time funding was secured from a Chinese partner and more Americans began to arrive to pave the way forward for the Tumpusiong project. And seeing the Chinese money on their hands Dendai and Tona carelessly fast tracked the go-ahead of the project without engaging the majority of the west Tumpusiong community members in decision making. But still the project was steaming on with the happy MTRL gang.

So the joint venture named as the Jaba Industries was consisting of O’orang owning 33.33% shares; MTRL owning another 33.33% and Tall J holding the last 33.33% of shares. In all three joint venture partners, the unidentified Chinese financier was catered for; that is, the Chinese were shareholders in all three companies. At the same time, Tall J had certain percentage of shares in the 33.33% shares owned by O’orang in Jaba Industries concerning the K1.7 million Tall J money O’orang corrupted.

All things sorted, equipment and plants, funded by the Chinese, began arriving one at a time for the whole of 2011 and half of 2012; plants were kept at Birempa on the Morgan-Panguna mine access road near Edwin Moses’ home. Plants include dump trucks, an excavator, a front-hand loader, a number of open bag land cruisers and gold processing equipment. And during the Christmas break of 2012, establishment began at Toku village in the western section of the Tumpusiong Valley.

With heavy sedimentation intact, the project could last

Alongside the development conflict also surfaced. The locals were brawling with the MTRL executives over decision making processes as landowners witnessing the fact that Michael Dendai was running the MTRL as his private business because on paper, collective decision making was the way and that majority beneficiaries should have being the community. 

Also despite the fact that the men involved with the creation of MTRL were the close relatives of current ABG mining mister, Michael Oni, the parliamentarian have being said to knew nothing of this development. So people also public condemned MTRL and Jaba Industries as illegal businesses. 

 The main village of Toku further boiled with strikes. In a launching and dedication ceremony held in December 2012 just before Christmas at the mining site, the other half of the Toku villagers did not attend nor did they ate the food that was brought to them.

Furthermore, the locals were angered by the project when, all executive positions in the joint venture was held by the O’orang who were not even landowners in the Panguna mine site or the Tumpusiong Valley but were from the inaccessible by car hinterland villages of Pangka and Mosinau to the south-east of the Panguna mine who now squat in the remains of the Panguna township causing a lot of disharmony with the people owning the Panguna mine and town areas like the Moroni people and even the Panguna District administration.

Tumpusiong Valley

Most of the Tumpusiong men were employed as security guards earning a K75 per fortnight. Plant operators and so on were the O’orang employees. And point of argument was, to the former BRA fighters, Mr. Dendai was not at home during the conflict and now was walking over them thus he was not accepted to be a sole decision maker in this project. 

Somewhere in late 2012, the Chinese partner under the cover of Jaba Industries announced that it shall be releasing a K300 000 community development packet and two vehicles for the Tumpusiong Valley around the 2012 Christmas period. The people waited as they watched the test-run of the operations that produced a positive result in a week’s operation in January 2013 that was shipped overseas as a sample.

But to their dissatisfaction in the mid-January of 2013, a new accusation surfaced that the awaited K300 000 development packet was already deposited into Michael Dendai’s bank account in 2012. Without any hesitation, the villagers torched the gold processing equipment in broad day light.

After this, all Tumpusiong men working as security guards at the mining site walked off, with a demand to Jaba Industries to solve the issue or pack up and leave

Additional documents

08.07.2011 microKhan report on Tall J

21.07.2011 microKhan publishs  Tall J statement

22.02.2013

Source: The National

Kemish: Thank you, PNG 

OUTGOING Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish paid a farewell visit to Prime Minister Peter O’Neill at his parliament office in Port Moresby yesterday.

He thanked O’Neill for his cooperation and support during his three-year tenure.

“During my time here, I have realised that both the private and public sectors have confidence in your government, more particularly your vision to develop PNG,” Kemish said told O’Neill.

O’Neill gave credit to Kemish for his leadership style of engaging with the people.

He assured Kemish that he would work with his successor to further enhance the robust relationship between the two countries.

“With the improvement of modern communication, it has brought our leaders even closer,” Kemish said.

Kemish said the alignment of aid programmes at the political level was satisfactory but both sides needed to formulate an agreement between AusAID and the Department of National Planning.

“I encourage national planning agencies to be properly attuned to issues of mutual benefit,” he said.

O’Neill thanked the Australian government for its assistance, saying that aid would be channelled into major projects such as  health, education and infrastructure improvements.

Kemish said Australia would increase its support from A$23 million to A$35 million for the Defence Force and increase intake of PNGDF personnel to the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Duntroon Military College in Canberra.

“This includes the PNGDF-ADF exercises, as well as continuing the ADF Engineering Programme for various infrastructure in PNG,” he added.

O’Neill proposed that lower level PNGDF personnel could be trained in carpentry, electrical and mechanical trades at various Australian TAFE institutions.

 The prime minister further acknowledged the Australian government for launching the Panguna Peace Building Strategy to assist with the restoration and rehabilitation of Bougainville.

“Australia notices, understands and respects PNG’s engagement globally in peace-keeping duties in Africa, our continuous dialogue with Fiji to ensure it returns to parliamentary democracy and the potential of our expanding economy,” O’Neill said.

“PNG will continue to play a major role in the Pacific region.”

Before meeting with Kemish, the prime minister briefly met with the Malaysian High Commissioner Datin Seri Blanche Olbery to discuss issues of mutual benefit to PNG and Malaysia.

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

POLICE INVESTIGATE

By Aloysius Laukai

A police investigating team led by SGT KEPAE IUBHA is in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville to talk to relatives and friends and even the survivors from the MV Rabaul Queen that sank in rough seas off LAE, in the Morobe Province last February.

The team has completed their investigations in North Bougainville but still have to continue to Central Bougainville in the next two weeks.

According to the team leader, SGT KEPAE IUBHA the team has met all clients in North Bougainville and are now calling for witnesses from Central and South Bougainville to see them at the Buka Police Station starting Monday.

He explained that although some enquiries have been carried out and completed Police has to carry out its own investigations to complete the legal process.

SGT KEPAE said that there are other teams that are carrying out similar investigations in other centres.

He said that the Investigation team Bougainville has two other members supporting him and they are Constable Lawrence Pereriva and Policewoman,Constable LILIAN SOLAS.

The Police Investigation team hopes to complete its work in Bougainville in two weeks time.

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SIMPSON ON FOREVER PROJECTS

By Aloysius Laukai

An advisor at the Planning Management Unit of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, DR.GARRY SIMPSON says Bougainville has a lot of forever Projects that have not been completed over the years due to Breaking of the Planning cycle on these projects.

In his presentation this morning, at the Planning workshop in Tsiroge, DR. SIMPSON said that many projects have failed because of under scoping by people who planned these projects in the past.

He said that in any plans all the processes must be followed so that the project is completed.

DR. SIMPSON said that during the planning process, the planner must first know the funding source, and set up the full cost that includes implementation, monitoring and evaluation once the project is completed and commissioned.

He said monitoring is one of the key areas to make sure the plans are fully implemented in all areas of Planning, Implementation until the projects are completed.

The planner also said many projects were also funded without even carrying out any feasibility studies on the cost, the contractor and who should make sure the project is monitored and supervised.

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

LERA FIRST TO DOCUMENT VISION

By Aloysius Laukai

The Regional member for Bougainville has said that he was the first Bougainville leader to document his plan for today and the future leaders to follow.

MR. LERA (pictured) said that it was unfortunate leaders already gone like the late ABG President JOSEPH KABUI’s ideas could not be retrieved because they were not documented.

He said many great ideas have been buried with the leaders because those dreams have not be documented for new leaders to read and implemented by future leaders.

The Regional member was promoting his five year plan for Bougainville in the next five years in Parliament.

He told the Tsiroge workshop that he plans to implement 25 projects in his term to prepare Bougainville for referendum.

MR. LERA warned that if these 25 programs are fully implemented in the next five years Bougainville would be ready for independence.

He said if these projects are not implemented after 20 years, then Bougainville should be ready for Independence after 20 years.

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

INDIAN AMBASSADOR COMMENTS

By Aloysius Laukai

The Indian High Commissioner to PNG, A.M.GONDANE says that PAPUA NEW GUINEA and India are both developing nations and can work together to further develop their countries.

He was speaking at the TSIROGE Workshop this morning.

He said PAPUA NEW GUINEA and INDIA were already working on a programme in which the two countries can work together.

With Bougainville he has offered to assist Bougainville students to go and study in India and upon their return can train more Bougainville students on what they have learned in India.

The Indian High Commissioner would be touring other areas of Central Bougainville before returning to Port Moresby.

New Dawn FM understands India is well known for its cottage industries which can be tested in Bougainville.

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MARCH SESSION

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG Speaker ANDREW MIRIKI (pictured) today announced the date for the first ABG Parliament session for this year 2013.

In making the announcement, MR. MIRIKI also announced that the ABG would also commemorate Commonwealth Day this year by staging a youth Parliament in Buka on March 11th, 2013.

He said that Youth Parliament would be set at the BEL ISI PARK in Buka town.

The Speaker also announced that the SPEAKER and Deputy Speaker ROBIN WILSON would be receiving a delegation from the United Kingdom Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, (CPA) this Friday.

Government House of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARoB)

New Dawn FM understands that the ABG intends to pass some important policies at the March session of the ABG Parliament session.

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BOUGAINVILLE COLLECTS 12 MILLION

By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville Schools collected TWELVE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED NINETY-TWO THOUSAND KINA deposited into their school’s accounts by the National Government under its Free Education Program for 2013.

These funds are for 213 Primary Schools, 302 Elementary Schools, 9 Secondary and High Schools, 6 vocational Schools and 1 Bougainville Distance Education Centre(FODE).

This means that all schools throughout Bougainville received their School fees and should not charge any project fees above TWO HUNDRED KINA.

In a notice published by the Department of Education today, some schools that provided wrong account details did not get their funds.

For the High Schools, NISSAN HIGH SCHOOL received the highest which is FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY EIGHT THOUSAND KINA, with BANA HIGH SCHOOL receiving FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY NINE THOUSAND KINA,ST MARY’S ASITAVI HIGH SCHOOL receiving FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY NINE THOUSAND KINA, with ARAWA SECONDARY School receiving TWO HUNDRED FORTY TWO THOUSAND KINA.

Other instructions that the Department of Education has given with these funds is that these funds must be spent based on the Current School Learning Improvement Programme Plan through decisions made by the Board of Management.

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ATOI ON LOCAL PRODUCE

By Aloysius Laukai

The member for North Bougainville, LAUTA ATOI (pictured) wants Bougainvilleans to create wealth for themselves and their government.

He told the women of Bougainville that the government would provide a hatchery for day old chicken and abattoir so that all the local produce can be sold and slaughtered and packed for sale.

MR. ATOI said that if Bougainville women can be given the opportunity to do business in Agriculture and Farming they can create wealth for themselves, their families and their government which in turn provide much needed services to the people of Bougainville.

He also called on the women to think of different businesses instead of doing the same thing that in the end die out due to no market.

The member said that the women should help each other instead of backstabbing each other.

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

WOMEN END TRAINING ON HIGH NOTE

By Aloysius Laukai

More than 500 aspiring Bougainville Women in Business ended their three-days training in high note this afternoon.

In his closing remarks the Open member for North Bougainville, LAUTA ATOI said that he wants to see Bougainville women get into business in his five year term in parliament.

He said that there are a lot of funds available for the people but they must be organized and can be assisted through the corporate societies concept.

The member for North Bougainville told the five hundred plus women to go back home and start small to help develop Bougainville economically as their Government members will assist them with seed capitals.

MR. ATOI also warned women to apply for projects and stick to the projects as his team would be following all funded projects from the beginning until the projects are completed.

He said that many projects in the past have failed because people applied for projects and when they secured the funds they would divert into something else.

The North Bougainville member said what happened in the past would not be allowed to happen as Bougainville moves into a new era.

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BOUGAINVILLE YOUTH IN HOSPITAL

By Aloysius Laukai

An eighteen year old Girl from the Central Bougainville is being hospitalized at a clinic in GEREHU, Port Moresby with no guardian. 

A reporter with the Border Development authority, CLIFFORD FAIPARIK reported on facebook last night said that the girl went to Port Moresby from Rabaul and was studying ITI when she had severe migraine and was hospitalized by her guardians from another province.

MR. FAIPARIK said he would visit her again and report on her staus.

Any relatives for this girl in Port Moresby should go to the ST. JOHN’S Clinic Gerehu C and assist this girl who this reporter has identified only as Christine and from Rorovana and Kieta mixed parentage.

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

POLICE INVESTIGATING TEAM

By Aloysius Laukai

A police investigation team on the sinking of the MV RABAUL QUEEN last February is in Bougainville to talk to relatives and victims on the sinking.

Picture of SGT KEPAE IUBHA pictured talking to Sam Sawa in the New Dawn FM studio in Buka. Constable Lawrence Pereriva look on from right.

22.02.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Bougainville businesses still hoping for payout of debts accrued during civil war

A business leader in Buka in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville is demanding the national government pay out millions of kina owed to him and others since the civil war.

The Bougainville Businessman’s Association’s Tomas Raban says he is owed more than 100,000 US dollars for providing accommodation to personnel working for the PNG government during the conflict.

He says the debt has long been recognised by the authorities and allocations to cover it were made years ago but it has been misappropriated.

“We have been given high hopes for the last 15 years and nothing eventuated but from my sources and from my other colleague who has been seeing the finance minister of the ABG - the finance minister has instructed the finance and the administration in Bougainville to pay dues. There is three million [kina] sitting with the Commerce Department for these sort of services to be paid and I am waiting.”

Tomas Raban.

Last month former members of the resistance who had provided security during the war commandeered government vehicles to force payment on outstanding debts, but Mr Raban says the business men would not take that sort of action.

21.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Leader: Time to address issues

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

A MEMBER from South Bougainville in the Bougainville House of Representatives has expressed to leaders of Panguna District in Central Bougainville, that South Bougainville leaders want to open up dialogues concerning outstanding issues between the people from south and Panguna. 

Member for Ramu constituency in the Siwai District, Thomas Mauroko Pa’ataku, said it is about time these outstanding issues are resolved once and for all. 

Speaking during the recent launching of the Panguna Peace Building Strategy in Panguna Mr Pa’ataku, who represented other leaders from South Bougainville, said that it was about time outstanding issues which came about during the height of the Bougainville crisis were addressed amicably. 

Mr Pa’ataku expressed that South Bougainville leaders wanted to also be included in this Panguna peace strategy because it was seen as an avenue which could be used to address outstanding issues.

One of the outstanding issues pointed out by Mr Pa’ataku was the return of remains of former leaders from South Bougainville who were taken to Panguna by certain members of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army during the crisis, killed and later buried at some undisclosed locations. 

“Many leaders from Siwai had come to Panguna (during the crisis) and never returned. I want Panguna leaders, in your strategy, we the Siwai leaders want to be included. We want to talk with you. We want to work hand in hand with you so that we can retain the remains of our leaders too,” Mr Pa’ataku said. 

He said leaders from South Bougainville were ready and prepared to work with their counterparts from Panguna in addressing these outstanding issues, adding that they want ed to reconcile, forget the past and move forward with their focus on the referendum for the political future of Bougainville. 

Meanwhile, Mr Pa’ataku also questioned the importance and validity of the Morgan junction roadblock. He said this roadblock had prevented many positive changes taking place in South Bougainville. He highlighted that many donor agencies planning to travel to South Bougainville could not do so because they had been denied access.

21.02.2013

Source: The National

Bougainville parents want payment 

A SENIOR education official in Bougainville says there were also some downsides to the national government’s tuition fee free policy.

Chief executive officer for Bougainville education Bruno Babato said yesterday that naturally, Bougainville parents supported their children’s education by building classrooms, school toilets, teachers houses, cutting grass at the schools and even fund raising free of charge.

“Today, as a result of the tuition fee-free policy, no parent in Bougainville is willing to do any work at the school for nothing.”

“Parents expect the school boards to pay them for helping the school.”

He said in 2012, about 10 schools were suspended due lack of parental support and many of them remained so during the Christmas and New Year breaks because no one would do anything unless they were paid from the subsidy.

“Simply, this policy has already created a hand out mentality in the community and is a recipe that will make Bougainville parents lazy.”

He said in the long term it would have devastating consequences and force PNG to become a social welfare state.

Babato said there were some schools that did not receive their share of the last payment of 2012 and were still waiting for further advice by the authorities in Waigani when they would be paid their entitlements.

The Education Department this week deposited K236 million directly into the accounts of 7,621 schools.

Only schools without accounts at banks have missed out.

The Education Department promised to publish the names of these schools next week.

21.02.2013

Source: EMTV

Environmental Protection at Mine sites Highlighted 

The Constitutional & Law Reform Commission yesterday launched a paper highlighting laws relating to waste disposal methods by mining companies.

The paper discusses a wide range of issues including loopholes in the legislations governing environment and mining.

This follows a reference established in 2007, by the then Minister for Justice Bire Kimisopa, following nationwide protests over environmental impacts of mines.

21.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Electoral Commission needs funds for by-elections in Bougainville

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE Bougainville Electoral Commission (EC) is prepared and set to conduct by-elections for the four vacant constituency seats in the Bougainville House of Representatives.

That’s the assurance given to the Post-Courier by the acting Bougainville Electoral Commissioner Reitama Taravaru yesterday.

However, Mr Taravaru is now awaiting other stakeholders involved in the by-elections like the Autonomous Bougainville Government and various divisions of the Bougainville Administration to resource the EC.

Mr Taravaru has requested the ABG through a submission for K1.5 million to conduct these by-elections. 

Once funding is released, the EC office will then proceed with its activity plans for the by-elections. 

Mr Taravaru said his office had already prepared and finalised the budget, activity plans and poling schedules for the by-elections.

He added that his office would be waiting for the Bougainville Election Steering Committee to finalise appointments of returning officers before recommending to him for final appointments and gazettal of the appointed returning officers. 

He added that since most of those appointed into returning officer positions have always been public servants, chief executive officers of their respective divisions would also be consulted regarding the performances of those officers applying for returning officer positions. 

This, he said, was to appoint “good productive officers in dealing with money and also in co-ordinating field work like polling, awareness so that the end result is, good outcomes from these manpower of the election officials”.

One of the reasons that prevented Mr Taravaru from making preparatory work and arrangements for the by-elections was due to the expiration of his term as the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner early last year.

However, he was able to start performing his duties again following the extension of his acting appointment position for another 12 months.

Mr Taravaru’s current position will lapse in April this year. 

The other reason which had resulted in the Bougainville EC office not immediately conducting the by-elections was due to lack of preparations. 

The Bougainville Electoral Commissioner said this was because by-elections were not pre-planned like the normal elections which were held after the completion of the approved number of years.

According to the tentative dates set by Mr Taravaru, the first two weeks of March would mainly be used in carrying out awareness and updating the electoral rolls.

The remaining weeks of March will be used as the objection period during which the last and final updating on the electoral rolls will be done.

The issue of writs will be on April 12 whilst close of nominations has been scheduled for April 19.

Polling will commence on May 24 and end June 3.

Return of writs will take place on June 17.

However, Mr Taravaru said these by-elections would only be carried out as planned after receiving approval from the ABG Speaker.

The constituencies that will be taking part in the by-elections include Lule, Kongara, Rau and Hagogohe.

21.02.2013

Source: EMTV

More Tertiary Institution for Bougainvilleans 

by Cedric Patjole, National EMTV News

Bougainville Governor Joe Lera pledged over half a million kina to the International Training Institute, as scholarships for students in his constituency.

Governor Lera said it is his ambition to develop the human resource of Bougainville by providing more tertiary education opportunities.

He said one of the compelling factors for this scholarship is the Rabaul Queen sinking last year. Many students attending the campus in Lae had perished during the disaster.

Lera said the number if illiteracy grows in numbers saying it was a time bomb ticking away. He said in his term, education will be a major focus area as he plans to revamp the sector in the province.

This will be done by improving current infrastructures and to introduce more tertiary institutions.

ITI Managing Director Kumaran Sentheyval said they had previously planned to establish a Centre in Bougainville.

Governor Lera said he will also be working alongside his Open Members to improve education in the province.

20.02.2013

Source: Bloomberg

Rio Tinto’s Mongolia Copper Dream

Awakens 20-Year-Old Nightmare

By Elisabeth Behrmann and Yuriy Humber 

Rio Tinto Group’s Mongolia copper and gold mine looks a dream location sitting next to China, the biggest market. Yet, Mongolia’s bid for more control of the project draws comparison with a Rio mine that went badly wrong. 

Mongolia’s government is ratcheting up criticism of Rio’s management of the $6.6 billion project, the landlocked country’s single biggest investment. Lawmakers have argued for a bigger share of profit, while President Tsakhia Elbegdorj wants more management control. He faces elections in June with a fifth of the nation’s 3 million people in poverty despite world-beating economic growth of 17.3 percent in 2011. 

Rio has refused government overtures to rewrite the agreement on the mine known as Oyu Tolgoi, raising tensions and comparisons with another Rio copper mine more than two decades ago. That project known as Panguna on the island of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea was shut by local protests and is still the subject of a U.S. court case. 

“In Bougainville the community felt, rightly or wrongly, they weren’t compensated adequately for the various impacts of mining they were having to absorb,” said Jeffrey Neilson, a senior lecturer in economic geography at the University of Sydney. Governments in emerging economies “have to be seen to be taking a strong stance and making sure that the benefits of their resource wealth are being shared.” 

Mining companies also need to consider wealth distribution in countries where they invest as a matter of course, said Michael Bush, who now heads credit research at National Australia Bank Ltd. and formerly worked as a geologist at the Geological Society of Australia. 

‘Fingers Burned’ 

At Panguna, which was closed in 1989 after protests turned violent, the company “got its fingers burned more than many” of its peers, Bush said. 

The unrest at Panguna, led by Francis Ona a former Bougainville mine worker, revitalized an independence movement on the island. That prompted the Papua New Guinea government to declare a state of emergency and send in troops in a conflict in which thousands died. 

Bougainville landowners later filed a U.S. lawsuit alleging Rio conspired with the PNG government in acts of genocide, human rights abuses and environmental damage. Rio lost an appeal to have the lawsuit thrown out on Oct. 25, 2011. In November the same year, Rio sought to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. No decision has been made, according to the court’s website. 

‘Serious Risks’ 

The company has argued that as the case has no connection whatsoever to the U.S. it shouldn’t be heard in the country and that the U.K. and Australia object to the litigation. 

Rio cited a U.S. government filing that supported the company’s view: U.S. courts passing judgment on the conduct of a foreign sovereign, the government warned, pose “serious risks to the United States’ foreign relations with foreign states.” 

Mongolia’s Oyu Tolgoi, set to start production in July, has about 25 million metric tons of recoverable copper and an expected life of 50 years. That’s about three-times the size of Panguna, which produced about 3 million tons of copper from 1972 to 1989 and holds another 5 million tons, according to a recent study amid discussions about reopening the mine under Rio unit Bougainville Copper Ltd. 

“Bougainville Copper Ltd. has a long-term vision of returning to mining and exploration on Bougainville, which Rio Tinto supports,” said Rio spokesman David Luff in an e-mail response to questions. “Any eventual return would be subject to the support of landowners and the government.” 

The project will be discussed at Bougainville Copper’s annual general meeting in April, he said. 

Resource Nationalism 

Resource nationalism -- government demands for higher taxes, royalties or stakes -- was the top concern among mining executives in 2011, according to Ernst & Young LLP’s annual risk survey published in August 2012. 

“I don’t think nationalism is growing, it’s always been here” in Mongolia, said Vidur Jain, an analyst at the Ulan Bator-based Monet Capital Investment Bank. “The government has an eye on the upcoming elections. Foreign investors don’t vote so the government could be aiming its rhetoric and actions at the electorate.” 

The politicians that offer to squeeze the most from foreign investors are likely to win the most public support, Jain said. Government corruption and inefficiencies are the main reasons foreign investments don’t trickle down, “but that’s not something the locals are aware of.” 

Losing Pit 

A disconnect with local people led to the troubles at Rio’s Panguna mine, with the company not doing enough to mitigate the effect of its project on local inflation or the environment, Sydney University’s Nielsen said. 

Nielsen formerly served as a community liaison officer for Aurora Gold Ltd., which had its mine overrun by locals in central Kalimantan, Indonesia, over how mining proceeds were shared. 

“All of a sudden the local community cut down these massive trees and put them across the access road to the pit,” Nielsen, who worked for Aurora between 1999 and 2000, said. 

“About 5,000 illegal miners took over the asset and started mining the pit. They were mining themselves, digging shafts. Then the company had to slowly renegotiate access to the pit.” 

Who Blinks First 

President Elbegdorj said this month the nation should have more control of Oyu Tolgoi, adding to calls from lawmakers in the last 18 months to push Rio to cede equity control in the mine. Mongolia, which is almost three times the size of France, owns 34 percent of Oyu Tolgoi and Rio the rest through its Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. unit. 

As Elbegdorj appeals to voters in a nation where about a fifth of the people get by on $1.25 a day, he’s setting up a face-off with Rio’s Chief Executive Officer Sam Walsh, who has his own stakeholders to worry about. 

Walsh, less than two months into the job, has to appease shareholders angered by a $14 billion writedown in Rio’s coal and aluminum operations that cost the previous CEO Tom Albanese his job. 

“I don’t think Rio will renegotiate the agreement,” said Jain at Monet Capital. If they do, there’s a risk other countries will want the same, so eventually there’ll be some kind of back-door deal, he said. 

Mongolia Vs Rio 

Lawmaker complaints in Mongolia have centered on cost increases at the mine, which they claimed had jumped almost $10 billion to $24.4 billion. Rio set costs so far at $6.6 billion, according to the Oyu Tolgoi website. 

“The two sides don’t even seem to agree on what the cost overruns are for phase I of Oyu Tolgoi,” said Nick Cousyn, chief operating officer at BDSec, Mongolia’s biggest brokerage. 

Cost overruns have been used to gain greater state control in a project before. 

Russia, the world’s largest energy producer, refused for a year to approve Royal Dutch Shell Plc.’s request to double the cost of investment in the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project. In 2006, shareholders sold half their shares to state-run OAO Gazprom, giving the Moscow-based company the biggest stake. 

Russia has resorted to tax claims and environmental inspections to pressure foreign investors into relinquishing major oil and gas projects started before President Vladimir Putin first came to power in 1999. First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said June 13, 2007, foreign companies “will never operate” major fields again. 

No Bougainville 

The Mongolian dispute will probably end better than the story of the Bougainville mine. 

“The world has changed markedly since the Bougainville situation, both from the global mining companies’ view point and from government angles,” said Tim Barker, investment analyst at BT Financial Group Pty, who owns Rio shares. 

What has not changed is where the resources are, said Sydney University’s Nielsen. 

“We live on a finite planet and countries are taking a gamble on their resources,” he said. “Perhaps there isn’t a rush to dig it out and sell it now and they can negotiate deals in ten or 15 years.” 

Two weeks ago on Feb. 7, about 23 years since Rio closed Panguna, the company announced it may be restarted. The mine still holds more copper and gold than was dug out. 

To contact the reporters on this story: Elisabeth Behrmann in Sydney at ebehrmann1@bloomberg.net; Yuriy Humber in Tokyo at yhumber@bloomberg.net 

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Peter Langan at plangan@bloomberg.net; Jason Rogers at jrogers73@bloomberg.net 

20.02.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Bougainville meeting seeks reconciliation for possible Panguna revival

The leaders of the six mine lease associations in Panguna in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville say they should be fully funded through the new Panguna Peace Building Strategy.

Launched with Australian assistance last week, the Strategy aims to foster reconciliation around Panguna, where the mothballed copper mine that sparked the ten-year civil war is located.

There is widespread interest in re-opening the huge mine but the lease association’s chair Chris Damana, who is heading an interim landowners’ umbrella group, says nothing can happen before a full reconciliation within Panguna communities.

He says they are in Buka for talks with the Autonomous Bougainville Government, the ABG, about key issues that need to be addressed.

“One of those issues that we will be talking [about] is for ABG government to fully fund Panguna landowners’ associations. We have done our in-house preparation and I think are the things that need to be funded from this Panguna Peace Building Strategy.”

20.02.2013

Source:Post-Courier

BUKA POWER

FOR the past few weeks, the power supply in the Bougainville capital Buka has been erratic. Power outages were experienced several times a day, almost on a daily basis. But PNG Power has assured the people of Buka that the situation has been fixed. “Power outages experienced in Buka were due to problems associated with generation capacity,” PNG Power told us. “These problems have been rectified and normal power supply has been restored in Buka.” Thank you PNG Power, our black wantoks are heaving a sigh of relief.

20.02.2013

Source: The National

Postings in Bougainville affected 

By ELIZABETH VUVU

TEACHER postings to secondary and vocational schools in Bougainville are currently affected as the Autonomous Bougainville Government has not allocated funds to recruit secondary school teachers from outside the province.

ABG chief executive officer Bruno Babato said yesterday as of last Friday there were 49 vacancies in 12 high/secondary schools and the subject stream most affected was sciences.

"Two schools that are in worst situation are Nissan High School that had only four teachers on the ground out of a 21 staff ceiling meaning that there are 17 vacancies, followed by Tonu High School with seven vacancies," he said.

Babato said the situation was created because of the inability of the government to provide funds to the education division to recruit and bring in new secondary teachers who had applied from outside of Bougainville.

"The situation at vocational schools is similar with about 10 vacancies in various trade courses that students had already been selected for this year," he said.

"This situation will get progressively worse next year as the recurrent budget for the education division had been further reduced in this year’s budget for Bougainville.

More than 3,000 teachers had resumed duties in 609 schools in Bougainville based on the Bougainville education board approved posting list last December.

He said primary schools had a surplus of teachers and the education division was able to pick and choose those who were committed to their profession.

"Those who are not committed have been placed in a pool which means that they would be considered for appointment if the teachers who have been initially appointed failed to turn up by early this month," he said.

"As of Monday, some have failed to turn up and as result some teachers from the pool have already been given postings to fill their vacancies."

Babato said those teachers who could not secure positions this year were advised to apply for leave without pay for the rest of the year.

In many cases, he said school authorities, including the boards of management, head teachers, mission education agencies, was not prepared for the influx and did not provide sufficient classroom facilities.

20.02.2013

Source: The National

MRA to review laws  

By JEFFREY ELAPA

THE Mineral Resource Authority will review several mining and taxation laws to enable the government and people to receive maximum benefits from the industry, minister Byron Chan said in parliament.

In response to a series of questions from Northern Governor Gary Juffa, Chan said there was no law to regulate companies during exploration to deal with and interact with landowners and provincial governments.

The review and amendment would allow that to happen.,

Monitoring and enforcement of exports would also be included.

Chan said another way to control export of gold would be the setting up of a gold refinery.

This was already approved by the National Executive Council.

Chan said an independent audit on the administration of MRA was under way and that it would extend that to the audit of mining activities and inspections.

By law, Chan said, warden hearing should include respective provincial governments and landowners and any warden hearing in the future could be done with the inclusion of stakeholders.

Chan said Porgera and other mines would also have a review soon when funds were available.

Meanwhile, the Lands Title Commission would announce its report on the Ramu NiCo mine by April, Justice Minister and Attorney-General Kerenga Kua said.

He said the hearing was postponed by two weeks following a re-routeing of the nickel pipeline as a result of landslips and new landowners being involved.

19.02.2013

Source: ESBC Research

Citicorp arouses suspicion!

New figures prove that Citicorp is under strong suspicion having provided the trading platform for major market manipulation on the ASX, Sydney.

  Click here to find out more !  

19.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Call to re-open Panguna

By KONOPA KANA

A FORMER employee and one time fleet trucking contractor to Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) has once again asked the O’Neill-Dion Government, the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) leaders and the Panguna landowner’s co-operation to re-open the default multi-million Kina copper mine. 

Mr Kandaso Napi, Member of British Empire (MBE), urged all stakeholders, landowners and government to meet, discuss and explore all avenues available that would lead to reopening the Panguna copper mine as soon as possible for the benefit of Bougainvillian men, women and children. Mr Napi, who has a longstanding relationship with the people of Bougainville through his past association with BCL and the Panguna landowners, said he gets emotional when he comes across his former workmates, business colleagues and other Bougainvillians including landowners, who have been reduced to nothing as a result of civil war on the island. 

He said he feels very sad and heartbroken to see Bougainvillians who were once successful entrepreneurs in their own rights now living off the streets of Port Moresby or the jungles of Bougainville.

Mr Napi told Post-Courier that Bougainville contributed immensely to the nation’s coffers through the copper mine well before other mineral and petroleum resources were discovered in other parts Papua New Guinea. 

“It is therefore only fitting that the people of PNG, through the national government should show some form of appreciation by providing development packages and finding a way forward to bring back life to the abandoned mine so that it will play a part in resurrecting the island’s economy back to its glory days,” Mr Napi said. 

He said the former Peoples National Congress (PNC) leader and prime minister the late Sir William Bill Skate was the first PNG leader to set foot on the war-torn island. 

He said now the current Prime Minister and PNC leader, Peter O’Neill made a commitment to provide a K500 million development package to the Bougainville people, of which K100 million has already been released. 

“The reopening of the mine would complement the PM’s commitment to bring normalcy back to the island,” he said.

Mr Napi went further by requesting the O’Neill-Dion government, on behalf of the long suffering people of Bougainville, to set up a ministerial committee to urgently work with all concerned parties including BCL in finding amicable solutions to reopening the giant copper mine.

19.02.2013

Source: The National

Work on Bougainville school stalled  

By ALOYSIUS LAUKAI

CONFUSION among three committees has stalled the development of Tinputz High School in North Bougainville.

When the Bougainville Education Board approved the establishment of the school, a ground committee in Tinputz was formed to oversee the construction of buildings, with temporary accommodation at the Tearouki Catholic Mission.

The committee started working on the buildings in preparation for the first intake of students in 2014, but was stopped as the education and the Tinputz district administration had their own committees.

Chairman of the school ground committee and former actor Albert Toro told The National that his committee had spent money on the houses and they should be used to start the school.

He said work on the permanent location was ready.

Toro learned that the education division had decided to move to a separate location and had been liaising with the district committee.

He said it would take time for work to start at the new location and this could mean extending the intake date to 2015.

Toro called on the education division and the district committee to liaise with the ground committee and complete the temporary buildings to ensure the school was ready for intake next year.

Attempts to obtain comments from education head Bruno Babato were unsuccessful.

19.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SPEAKER ALERT

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG Speaker ANDREW MIRIKI wants all stakeholders in the Bougainville Peace Process to accelerate all activities that is aimed towards referendum and the final status for Bougainville.

MR. MIRIKI (pictured) said that he was very concerned that the process was slow and the timeline was just two years remaining.

He called on the ABG President and his cabinet to fast track all activities towards preparing for the referendum which must be held between 2015 and 2020.

MR. MIRIKI said that the region has to urgently train a workforce that is capable of covering all sectors of Bougainville’s economy once the people decide their political future through the referendum.

He said that focus now must be placed on training all the manpower that the region would require in future starting with the establishment of technical schools in the region.

On the Ex combatants, MR. MIRIKI called on them to make real and meaningful contributions towards the peace process.

He said that the ex-combatants started the fight for independence and they must end it now.

The ABG Speaker said that the former combatants can be re-trained as security officers to support the current Police strength which is too thinly spread across the region.

He also called on the Education division to develop programs that can provide the opportunity and facilitate their entry into mainstream formal education system.

19.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

KAUVA ON PEACE BUILDING

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG Minister for Peace and Reconciliation, NEWTON KAUVA says that real peace has no money attached to it but comes from the heart.

The minister made these comments at the recent launching of the PANGUNA PEACE BUILDING STRETAGY in Panguna.

He said money should not be used as an excuse for prolonging any outstanding reconciliation that needs to be completed throughout Bougainville as we prepare for referendum in two years time.

The Minister also apologized on behalf of the President who was overseas and could not attend the launching stating all government members and Ministers including the deputy Speaker and member for TERA, Robin Wilson were there as a sign of government solidarity for the Launching.

The Chief Administrator, LAWRENCE DISIN (pistured) and his administration continued with another three-days induction at the PANGUNA District Office.

19.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

WOMEN IN BUSINESS MEET

By Aloysius Laukai

If the 500 plus women of Bougainville who registered for the Two days training for Women in Business this morning is any indicator of the kind of desire to run their Businesses Bougainville may soon be controlled by women as Bosses recruiting men as their workers.

This morning in Buka saw more than 300 women, some who are already operating businesses registered to attend the Training workshop which would be facilitated by Office Dynamics based in Port Moresby.

Executives of the Bougainville Women in Business Association last week held a open forum at the BEL ISI PARK in Buka disputing this training disputing that the Vice President was not mandated to run the training and charge fees.

But this morning, NEW DAWN FM talked to the PRESIDENT of the Bougainville Women in Business, MARY SAHOTO who said that she supported the initiative of her Vice President to source much needed training for Bougainville women who want to go into Business or are already operating one.

The ABG Minister for Community Development responsible for Women’s and Children’s Affairs, MELCHIO DARE officially opened the training citing collaboration between the women and men of Bougainville to do business.

The Minister said that since his appointment as the Minister last August he has been trying his best to assist Bougainville women to improve their standard of living.

He said that the two-days training was not a mistake for the women of Bougainville as since creation God has always put women beside her partner, and not in front or at the back of him.

The ABG Minister said that today both the National Government and the ABG are preaching about gender equality in every aspect of life.

He said as the Minister representing the women in the Momis/Nisira government, it is the ABG’s directive for my Ministry to see women in the region prosper in everything they chose to venture into, weather in Business, their professional jobs or family responsibilities, this prosperity must be seen as an achievement in life for all women.

The Minister said that by attending this training, you will be equipped to identify what you already have been managing as a woman in your own setting.

He encouraged the women to concentrate and grasp as much from the training as there might not be a second opportunity to attend similar training in future.

The Minister also promised to sponsor another similar workshops in the three regions of North, Central and South Bougainville if this training is successful.

The two-day training was sponsored by the National member for North Bougainville Member, LAUTA ATOI.

Participants for this training came from as far as Buin in South Bougainville and Tasman islands in North Bougainville.

19.02.2013

Source: PNG Attitude

ANZAC cooperation: put Bougainville up on the agenda

by PETER JENNINGS |The Strategist | Australian Strategic Policy Institute | Extracts

DISMAY ABOUT THE recent lacklustre summit of Australian and New Zealand prime ministers is easily understandable. It produced so little of substance that one was left asking: why bother?

What we got was an agreement to house a largish boat-load of asylum seekers and to fund a war memorial for Wellington, ‘… made of rugged Australian red sandstone’.

On the Australian side of the Tasman, your average daily prime ministerial media event often delivers more than that. It’s thin pickings for a relationship that’s allegedly so close—prime minister Gillard has used the word ‘family’ to describe it no less than 13 times in the last two years….

That might well be an acceptable way to manage the relationship if it were the case that our strategic outlook was mostly positive. But there are sufficient challenges of a type that Australia and New Zealand should jointly think through.

High on my list of ANZAC challenges is the future stability of Bougainville. A conflict on the island in the late 1980s and 1990s lead to the deaths of, by some estimates, 15,000 people. (DFAT’s primer on the peace process acknowledges thousands of deaths without being more precise).

Australia and New Zealand were involved in a costly peace monitoring mission at the end of the 1990s until a largely New Zealand-brokered peace arrangement brought stability to the Province in return for greater political autonomy and the breathing space offered by delaying the final political settlement.

Bougainville now has the opportunity to vote in a referendum on self-determination at some point between 2015 and 2020.

The challenge for Australia and New Zealand is to make sure a move to a referendum happens as peacefully as possible after a process of disarming groups on the island, with all sides prepared to accept its results whatever they may be.

That said, there are those in Port Moresby and those on Bougainville who probably have significantly differing expectations about what the referendum might deliver.

The potential for Bougainville to slide back into instability or serious violence is quite high. Should that happen, only Australia and New Zealand have the interest and capability to respond.

If ever there was a case for a heavy joint pre-investment designed to prevent a conflict, this is it. As our work together on Bougainville in the late 1990s showed, both countries bring particular strengths to bear that the other can’t so easily provide.

Peter Jennings is executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

18.02.2013

Source: PNG Mine Watch

Arawa

by Daniel Jones | Mekamui news.

While in Arawa town I spoke with many locals about the issue of mining and the propaganda in western media implying that land owners from Panguna and surrounding stakeholders where giving green lights towards steps to reopen the defunct mine. The reality on the ground does not reflect that hype whatsoever. I only found red stoplights regarding foreign investment in the Panguna mine from village people, ex-combatants, ABG members and Panguna landowners alike.

One afternoon I met with a Panguna landowner; Joanne Dateransi the sister of the late Francis Ona, credited with leading the eco-revolution against the mine and reigniting the struggle for independence.  I first met Joanne in Alice Springs in central Australia in 2010 while speaking at an Indigenous rights conference where her leadership, strength and determination stuck me. Upon our meeting in Arawa town I felt blessed to meet this influential woman again.

We talked about the issue of pro mining agendas being the strategic State/capitalist based propagandists as Joanne assured me her position and that of her village and surrounding land owning Wantoks and stakeholders remained opposed to these lies. Instead Joanne’s resolve was focused on economic gateways with the outside world involving fair trade for cash crops and trade links with foreigners supportive of an Independent Bougainville.

On the topic of cash crops and fair trade I mentioned, after doing some labour on a Copra plantation, that farmers where not getting a fair deal with PNG based traders. I suggested farmers of Cocoa and Copra, the two main cash crops in the area, form a Trade Union and Farmers Cooperatives to set the price of their product to align with the labour involved, the expenses of basic living and to assist in the long term economic development of the Sovereign Nation of the Bougainville Autonomous Region.

Chocolate sold in Australia is increasingly labelled “Fair Trade” however from my observation on the ground in Bougainville where perhaps the best Cocoa in the world is grown a fair trade is not the case at all.

Farmers are being ripped off at 220 Kina (approx. $110 Aus dollar) per 63kg bag when their product is worth more like at least 630 Kina per 63kg in a ‘Fair Trade’ market.  Furthermore to value add to the Cocoa and Copra industries a home grown coconut chocolate factory could open up a vast economic gateway full of potential and long term economic gain for the majority of peoples, whether cultural, religious or business people. It was further rearticulated by Joanne that these; Economic Gateways for ‘Fair Trade’ would ensure long term economic stability for Bougainville and put an end to short sighted mining interests once and for all.

18.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Bougainville police gets walkie-talkies from Aust govt

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE Bougainville Police Service’s (BPS) communication system received a timely boost last week, thanks to the Australian Government for its kindly donation.

Outgoing Australian High Commissioner to PNG Ian Kermish was on hand to present five new and latest communication radios (walkie-talkies) to BPS last Tuesday.

The radios were presented by Mr Kermish to the acting Bougainville Police chief Paul Kamuai, witnessed by the senior police personnel at the Buka Police Station. 

When delivering his remarks, Mr Kermish said Australians had a relationship with PNG and Bougainville which dated as far back as World War 2. 

He added that he hoped these radios would help save lives while being used in the line of duty by police officers.

Acting Assistant Commissioner for Police in Bougainville Superintendent Paul Kamuai thanked Australia for its continuous support to Bougainville.

He also urged police personnel to be committed in carrying out their roles and duties.

18.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Islanders find body

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

A BODY of a decomposed man was found floating on the sea by some islanders in Bougainville last week.

The decomposed body was found near Pinepel Island in the Nissan constituency in North Bougainville on Thursday.

Acting chief of the Bougainville Police Service Paul Kamuai said the body was later taken to the village and buried the same day.

Superintendent Kamuai said the deceased was wearing two jean trousers when found by the islanders.

Kamuai said the body was identified by the Pinepel and Nissan Islanders as not from their islands, adding that the islanders had reported no missing person from their islands.

Supt Kamuai said the villagers believed that the body may be of a man from another province.

However, acting ACP Kamuai said speculations are that the deceased may be a member of the senior government delegation from East New Britain that got lost at sea while returning by boat from Pomio to Kokopo last month. 

A team of police officers from the Criminal Investigation Division at the Buka Police Station had travelled by boat to Pinepel last Saturday to exhume and carry out a post mortem on the body.

Supt Kamuai had already notified police in East New Britain and they will also be sending a team to Pinepel to also try and identify the body.

18.02.2013

Source: Rage

Arawa opens new club with a bang

By ROMULUS MASIU in Arawa

AUNG EE PUNKS Band stole the show at the opening of 3 Rocks Club in Arawa at the weekend.

The new club received the ‘baptism of fire’ with invited guests and party-goers flocking in as early as 2pm to get the glimpse of the new bar and facilities.

The formalities however kicked off at around 4pm with speeches and the ribbon cutting at the bar to signify the opening of the club. Catholic Parish Priest of Tunuru, Father George got the honour from the club’s management to cut the ribbon at the bar. After the formalities were done the party began with the five lads from the band Aung ee Punks who rocked the socks out of everyone present. Business houses and organisations in Arawa town were well represented at the opening. Not to be outdone, party-goers also came in large numbers, making their presence felt on the tiled dance floor on the first hit out.

Speaking on behalf of the business houses in Arawa Town, businessman Andrew Osikore thanked the management of the 3 Rocks Club to come up with such a wonderful idea of building this facility for people to relax after a hard day’s work and also to come around and talk business over a few drinks.

However, the night belonged to Aung ee Punks as they belted out some old school rock hits such as Rolling Stones’ Honky Tonk Woman, Get Back from the Beetles, Angel’s After The Rain and CCR’s knockout song Lodi that lay the platform for the invited guests to hit the dance floor.

They were ably assisted by another two upcoming Arawa back-up bands, Meddling Kids and S One 5 Band. Even the 30minutes power blackout did not stop the party spirit as party goers waited around till power was restored.

Certainly, the first night out at Arawa’s 3 Rocks Club brought back fond memories of the Panguna Mine era where the clubs like Poroka Tavern, Coastal Club and Nafik Club are some of the places to catch up on at the weekends with live performance from various bands including the only surviving house hold name band, Aung ee Punks. 

The night ended with all stocked up fridges running dry and all invited guests and party-goers getting their money’s worth. 

As well summed up on the sign board erected outside the club, 3 Rocks Club – the place to be! For bookings or bands wanting to perform live don’t hesitate to contact the club management on phone number 9482065 or email address: threerocks@gmail.com. 

18.02.2013

Source: PNG Attitude

Walking out rich from the Bougainville government

by LEONARD FONG ROKA

ALL BOUGAINVILLEANS of sound mind know that in the 1990s 20,000 people perished on our island as the result of a civil war in the name of freedom. 

Our relatives’ lives were lost for our island to be free from the claws of Papua New Guinea and its exploitation and subjugation of our land and people.

When our young men took up arms and violence in 1988 against the PNG national government, Bougainville Copper Limited and the illegal Papua New Guinean squatter settlers, we the people stood up for them with our hearts.

The sacrifice is not much recognised by our present day leaders. Post-conflict Bougainville is a massive fireball of opportunists tearing apart the Bougainville our people died to save.

The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) budget is fast going beyond K300 million whilst tax collected by the Bougainville’s Internal Revenue Commission is snailing behind. In 2013 it’s predicted to be around K12 million.

Despite our ambition for nationhood and despite this alarming financial gap, our people still run around desiring compensation for crisis-created losses. 

The few businessmen we have are reluctant to pay tax, loudly calling for compensation for all they lost amidst the ten-year old conflict.

We all lost.

As ordinary Bougainvilleans around my area, the Tumpusiong Valley near Panguna, see it, our politicians ignore the fact they are public figures who should lead the Bougainville people by example to really respect the issues we fought and died for on our island.

To most of us, painfully observing the shit in Bougainville politics, many of our politicians and bureaucrats do not live by the values and directives of the offices they hold. 

Many public officials are an eyesore and nuisance to the community. They do not uphold the principles our people died for, instead leading Bougainville into the realm of corruption and personal prestige and power.

In these desperate times, leadership is challenging since the people are also powerful, perhaps more powerful than the government itself. 

The people in the Tumpusiong Valley vote people who are weak into power; or we get old timers who had not walked with us through the path of the crisis.

They easily put on PNG shoes to play the game since they do not share the vision of those of us who suffered.

Many ABG parliamentarians are noted by the ordinary people as looters of the public offices they hold. 

For reasons well known to lawyers, I won’t name names.

Many Bougainvilleans dream to lead Bougainville; yet they lack the power to influence and educate. It is about time Bougainvilleans start practicing leadership on their own families

When Deputy Administrator Andrew Pisi died in 2007, his extended family members of Moroni village in Panguna came and ransacked the Administration office in Arawa.

They walked away with office materials like computers, furniture and a vehicle - nearly a million kina’s worth of loot. 

With the death of Chief Administrator, Peter Tsiamalili, in late 2007, his family appropriated his official vehicle; all efforts to get it returned failed. 

This problem was also present with two former ABG presidents. Presidents have entitlements when leaving office but it should be noted that family members of the pair went beyond the entitlements.

When the first ABG president, Joseph Kabui, passed away in mid 2008, his official vehicle was locked at his residence in Hutjena as a bargaining tool for the release of entitlements. But when the entitlement was honoured, the ABG vehicle was not returned.

The question is: ‘Are leaders and ordinary people interested in saving Bougainville for the benefit and betterment of future generations?’

Ordinary people of Bougainville struggle to make ends meet, yet our lazy leaders leave office with wealth and tell people their island needs more money to run. 

With this trend, more money for the island will mean more corruption and possible derailing of Bougainville’s progress to independence.

Can the current Bougainville President, John Momis, and Administrator, Raymond Masono, change this? 

I wonder when the ABG will start getting out amongst the people of Bougainville and finding out what their thoughts are about their island.

17.02.2013

Source: PNG Attitude

I unmask those who may be manipulating BCL’s share price

by AXEL G. STURM

HONOURABLE INVESTORS in stock markets buy equities at a low price and sell them at a higher price. The difference is their profit. Unfortunately not all investors are honourable.

Since October 2012, the Australian Securities Exchange has experienced rather unusual trades in Bougainville Copper securities.

It’s obvious to me that there are a few dubious market participants who are trying to destabilise the market by pulling the BCL share price down. As a result, investors who become insecure might sell their equities at a price much lower than the fair value.

Fraudulent market participants make use of two different tools to intimidate honourable investors by manipulating share price.

Either they sell off shares borrowed from a custody bank such as JP Morgan, Citicorp or HSBC.

Or they already own a huge amount of the shares in question, which are traded between multiple custody or brokers’ accounts. 

The aim is to benefit from investors whose nerves are on edge and will sell their shares at an artificially-created low price. At that low price, the market manipulators collect the shares sold at a loss by other investors.

It’s come to my notice that there’s a particular group operating which has long experience in market manipulation

Such a scam works primarily in small stocks such as Bougainville Copper. BCL has only some 27% of its shares in free-float. About 17% of these are held by custodians who keep the true ownership secret.

Unfortunately, it seems to me, Bougainville Copper's major shareholder, Rio Tinto, is not convinced that there are fraudulent activities in its investments.

Ben Mathews, Rio Tinto company secretary, stated to ESBC recently that “Rio Tinto has no reason to suspect that there is any market manipulation taking place in the publicly-traded shares of Bougainville Copper Limited”

Maybe the stunning ASX trades in BCL shares on Friday 8 February  (almost 2.5 million shares in a single day) will help Mr Mathews overcome this view.

15.02.2013

Source: EMTV

Panguna Peace Building Strategy launched 

by Bernadette Efi

The Panguna community in Bougainville set aside their differences and joined their leaders and launched the Panguna Peace Building Strategy on Tuesday.

Despite the drizzles, the Australian High Commission delegation and the local leaders joined the men, women and children in a procession to begin the ceremony.

Outgoing Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish was the guest speaker. He told the people that reconciliation is the key to development for Bougainville.

The strategy is one of the three Bougainville Peace Agreements 2005 to 2015. Its role is to reunite and heal divided communities and prepare them for a prosperous future.

The leaders said the 1987 conflict has done so much harm to the people and the environment. They said peace is the only answer in bringing about economic recovery, infrastructure and social development into Bougainville.

The leaders said once there is peace and order; the mine will come into operation.

Outgoing Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish commended the people and the leaders for taking a bold step towards reconciliation.

Mr. Kemish said the international community is waiting and willing to develop Bougainville.

The strategy has funding backing of K1.28 million from the Australian government and K1 million from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Government.

15.02.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Australia supports community healing in Bougainville’s Panguna

The Australian government says it has provided aid to the Panguna community in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville to help it achieve consensus and local ownership of the peace process.

Panguna is where the ten-year long civil war started amid dissatisfaction with the operations of the huge Bougainville Copper Ltd mine.

There have been years of debate about re-opening the controversial mine but the Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Ian Kemish, says there is still need for healing within the local community.

He says this has prompted the Panguna Peace Building Strategy to which Australia has committed nearly 600,000 US dollars.

Mr Kemish says they hope it will help achieve some of the goals expressed at this week’s launch in Panguna.

“That they want greater prosperity for their area. That they want to engage with the outside world about the area and that may not sound a significant but is truly significant when you consider the level of division and harm that has been caused along the way over the last 10 plus years.”

Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Ian Kemish

15.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Talks on mine set

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE second regional forum on Panguna negotiations will be held towards the end of this month in Buka.

The forum, which will be held from February 26 - 27 at the Hutjena Secondary School, will be spearheaded by the Office of the Director for Panguna Negotiations.

According to the Director-Panguna Negotiations, Raymond Masono (pictured), the aim of this forum was to engage and update the various stakeholders and the wider community in each region in Bougainville on the progress of preparing the ABG and the landowners to participate in the negotiations.

Participants for this forum will come from Selau/Suir, Kunua, Tinputz and Torokina districts.

One of the purposes of staging this forum is to gauge the views of people in these four districts regarding the possible reopening of the Panguna mine.

Mr Masono said this forum had continued the consultation process with the wider community regarding the Panguna mining issue, adding that consultation with the mine affected and impacted landowners and other stakeholders like the former combatants has already been completed. 

The forum will be officially opened by the President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Chief Dr John Momis.

Other invited ABG leaders include the Mining Minister Michael Oni and Minister for Education John Tabinaman.

The forum will be facilitated by officers from the ABG Mining Department, Division of Law and Justice and the Office of Panguna Negotiations.

The first regional forum was held in November last year and was attended by various stakeholders from Buka, Nissan and the Atolls districts in North Bougainville.

Many of those that attended the first forum had expressed support for the reopening of the mine because it will generate income for Bougainville. 

15.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

AROB’s peace process moves on

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE launching of the Panguna Peace Building Strategy is another milestone achievement towards bringing peace and normalcy in the Panguna area and Bougainville as a whole.

That’s the view of the President of the Me’ekamui Government of Unity Philip Miriori.

Mr Miriori, while giving his speech on Tuesday confessed that it was not an easy task trying to bring back peace at Panguna.

He said this process dates back to 2007 with the signing of the Panguna Communiqué between the ABG and the Me’ekamui Government of Unity. This understanding had paved the way for the establishment of the Panguna district administration. 

Mr Miriori, who took over from the late Francis Ona as the Me’ekamui leader, then asked everyone to work together towards bringing everlasting peace on the island.

"Crisis had started here in Panguna. And apart from all the damage that have been done, we must show a positive development with our journey for peace. Peace does not belong to us, but has been given to us by God. And we must respect one another, Mr Miriori said.

Mr Miriori then appealed for support from the Panguna community to support this program in bringing back peace in their communities.

Mr Miriori also bluntly told the outgoing Australian High Commissioner to PNG Ian Kermish, who was also present, that the Australian Government had played a part in the outbreak of the crisis. But on a positive note, Mr Miriori thanked Mr Kermish and the Australian Government for all the support that has been given to Bougainville.

He however urged the Australian Government to increase its funding to Bougainville, saying what they are currently funding is not enough compared to the developments brought by the Panguna mine during its operational days.

"This Panguna Mine had generated more money for PNG. It had also guaranteed PNG’s independence. And Australia and PNG, they have to give more to compensate this pit.

"When we want to talk about the reopening of the Panguna mine, we must also look at the damages that have been done in the past. We must not only look at reopening this mine because more damages will happen again if we reopen it. This is our concern. We must look carefully, compensate those who lost their lives and the properties that were destroyed.

Mr Miriori also assured Mr Kermish that his people do not have any grudges or hatred towards Australia. 

"But this damage is between the PNG Government and the Australian Government."

15.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

WOMEN DEBATE BUSINESS

By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville women continue to destroy other women’s efforts to strengthen the work of Bougainville women in Business as seeing in today’s gathering at the BEL ISI PARK called on women on Bougainville not to attend a workshop that has been organized by the Vice President of the Bougainville Women in Business.

The Program however will proceed as planned at it will assist women who have already registered to attend the training.

The training will have officers from the National Development Bank who will explain on the women the procedures of obtaining loans to start their own Business or to strengthen existing Business.

In today’s meeting women on both sides of the conflict shouted at each other on how they would like the women in Business would operate in the region.

The training would be held at the RENDEVOUZ Club on 18th, 19th and 20th of February, 2013.

14.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

POPE RESIGNS

by  Vatican World News

Head of the Catholic Church POPE BENEDICT XVI has announced to resign as POPE on February 28th, 2013.

This would be the 3rd POPE to resign from the post in the last 600 years.

The announcement has shocked the world with many Catholics around the world protesting why.

Pope Benedict’s decision to resign the papacy is being blamed on his age nearly 86 and his health is worsening.

The Vatican has said for the first time that the Pope has had a pacemaker for years and that its battery was secretly replaced months ago.

Vatican spokesman Reverend Federico Lombardi said Benedict had the pacemaker installed a long time before he became pope in 2005.

He called the latest medical procedure routine. 

The decision has also set the stage for a conclave to elect a new pope before the end of March.

The 85 year old and 265th pope announced his decision in latin during a meeting of Vatican Cardinals.

He was elected pope on April 19, 2005 at a time when anger at clerical abuse was at its height in parts of Europe and North America shaking the faith of many ordinary Catholics.

In 2008 he became the first pope to express shame over the abuse and to meet victims.

And in 2010 he issued an unprecedented apology to Ireland for chronic abuse appealing to any remaining clergy guilty to submit themselves to the demands of justice.

In his resignation announcement he said that “he had repeatedly examined his conscience before God before he reached his final decision.

He said in order to govern the bark of saint Peter and proclaim the gospel, both strength and mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months has deteriorated in me to the extend that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me” he said.

Pope Benedict had hinted in a book of interviews in 2010 that he might resign if he felt he was no longer able to carry out his duties.

The last pope to resign was Pope Gregory X11 who stepped down in 1415 in a deal to end the Great western schism among competing papal claimants.

Also before that the only other Pope to have resigned citing an inability to fulfill the office was POPE CELESTINE V in 1296 who stepped down just months into his appointment to office saying he was not physically capable to continue and yearned a simpler life.

Pope Benedict’s brother Geog Ratzinger said that the pontiff had been advised by his doctor not to take any more transatlantic trips.

Experts are saying that it is likely that the next Pope could be a first non European leader of the Catholic Church.

New Dawn FM also understands that Bougainville is 90 percent Catholic and they are also disturbed by this news.

14.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MERCURY BAN

By Aloysius Laukai

140 countries agree on first-ever global treaty to curb mercury pollution

A convention signed in Geneva has legally bound over 140 countries to a set of newly established laws as part of an attempt to prevent the spread of deadly mercury pollution following a rise in the toxin’s emissions.

Environmental mercury levels have been rising, and anticipated further increases have motivated UN delegates in Geneva to reach a consensus on the solution. Mercury can cause a range of neurological and health problems, and is potentially fatal in large doses. 

The set of legally binding rules, known as the Minimata Convention, was established on Saturday morning following overnight negotiations preceded by a week of discussions. 

UN Environment Program (UNEP) spokesperson Nick Nuttall told Reuters that a “treaty to start to begin to rid the world of a notorious health-hazardous metal was agreed in the morning of January 19.”

Mercury is a serious health threat, especially for unborn children, and exposure to it can not only have neurological effects but also an impact on the digestive and immune systems, internal organs and skin, if touched.

"Minimata’ is the Japanese name for a neurological disorder that arises from severe mercury poisoning, symptoms of which can include numbness in the extremities, ataxia, damage to speech, sound and sight, paralysis and death.The condition itself is named after the Kyushu Island city which suffered a severe outbreak in 1956 from untreated chemical factory wastewater. 

Once released into the environment, mercury can become more concentrated as it moves up the food chain. It can bioaccumulate in fish, which humans then consume. 

UNEP said a growth in small-scale mining and coal burning were the primary reasons for the rise in mercury emissions.

New Dawn FM understands that many Alluvial Miners on Bougainville are also using chemicals such as mercury and were endangering the lives of other Bougainvilleans as most activities are done upstream.

14.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PANGUNA PEACE

By Aloysius Laukai

The remaining faction that continued to be outside of the Bougainville Peace process yesterday joined the other two parties to continue with reconciliation and peace building in PANGUNA where the Panguna conflict started in November 1988 when the first Power Pylon was dynamited by the first disgruntled landowners of PANGUNA.

The Mekamui original group led by another hardcore CHRIS UMA yesterday joined the process under the PANGUNA PEACE BUILDING PROCESS to be funded by AusAID through the STRONGIM PIPOL STRONGIM NATION (SPSN)

Aus AID will pay a total of ONE POINT TWO MILLION KINA whilst the Autonomous Bougainville Government would counter-fund with another ONE MILLION KINA.

This projects take the PANGUNA PEACE PROCESS to another level since the ABG and the Mekamui unity Government signed the PANGUNA COMMUNIQUE four years ago which led to the establishment of the PANGUNA DISTRICT as separate from the KIETA District.

The Australian High Commissioner IAN KEMISH told yesterday’s gathering that Australia has a long history with Bougainville and the occasion opened another chapter in the relationship between Australia and Bougainville.

The High Commissioner said that Australia will continue to assist where ever it can to see Bougainville come out off its current problems.

He said Bougainvilleans need to unite to see Bougainville move forward.

On the future of the Panguna Gold and Copper Mine he said that Australia had no say in it and it was up to the people to decide how they would like to address it.

He also questioned the people if they were ready to open the mine.

Meanwhile the President of the Mekamui Unity Government, PHILIP MIRIORI called on the people of Panguna to forget their differences and work together to change Panguna for the better.

He said the time was right for the people to unite and work as one people of Panguna.

The chairman of the Panguna Landowners Association, CHRIS DAMANA called on the people of Panguna to realize that the only way for BOUGAINVILLE to attain REFERENDUM and Independence was through ECONOMIC SELF RELIANCE therefore PANGUNA MINE must be opened quickly.

He said that the people of BOUGAINVILLE needed Panguna to raise the much needed funds for the people and their government.

MR. DAMANA said that if Panguna is not opened Bougainville will not be able to raise the funds needed to fulfill one of the three pillars of the Peace Process.

MR DAMANA said that Panguna must be opened in his lifetime.

The instruments for funding of the PANGUNA PEACE BUILDING Strategy was also signed yesterday.

Panguna Executive Manager, OTTO NORUKA signing the documents

Some entertainment

Outgoing Australian High Commissioner IAN KEMISH

14.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

CONFUSING BETWEEN COMMITTEES STALLES WORK

By Aloysius Laukai

Confusing between three separate committees has stopped the development of a newly Bougainville Education Board approved TINPUTZ HIGH SCHOOL.

When the Bougainville Education Board approved the establishment of the High School for Tinputz, a ground committee in Tinputz was immediately formed to oversee the construction of buildings with temporary accommodations at the Tearouki Catholic Mission.

The Committee started working on the buildings in preparation for the first intake of students in 2014 but was stopped as the Education and the Tinputz District Administration had two different committees for the same school.

Chairman of the Tinputz High School Ground Committee and former film actor, ALBERT TORO (TUKANA) told New Dawn FM last week that his committee has already spent funds on these houses and should be used to start the School whilst work on the permanent location is ready on the same block.

The Chairman made these remarks after learning that the Education Division had decided to move to a separate location and had been liaising with the District Committee.

MR. TORO said that it would take time for the work to start at the new location and this could mean extending the intake date to 2015.

He called on the Education division and the District Committee to liase with the ground committee and complete the temporary buildings to ensure that the school takes its first intakes in 2014.

New Dawn FM tried for one week to talk to the CEO for Education, BRUNO BABATO but had no time for us so we just ran this story.

14.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SOHIA UPLIFTED

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG member for TSITALATO and Chairman of the ABG Watchdog, Parliamentary Accounts Committee, COSMAS SOHIA says that the ABG as a new government cannot do many things at a same time but would encourage the need to increase the capacity of Bougainvilleans to acquire much needed skills to make their living back in their homes.

He made these comments at a launching of the Master Skill Training school on Sohano island last week.

MR. SOHIA a skilled Boiler maker by profession said that Bougainville needed a lot of skilled manpower and establishments like the Master Skill Training was welcomed in Bougainville.

He also called on the students to make use of these opportunities as opportunities in life comes only once in a lifetime.

Master Skilled Training has been training students to be Equipment Operators in Papua New Guinea’s booming mining industry.

After practical sessions students further their training on equipments in Lae Morobe Province.

14.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

TRAINING TO PROCEED

By Aloysius Laukai

Executives of the Bougainville Women in Business are calling on Bougainville women not to pay TWO HUNDRED KINA for the planned women’s training scheduled for February 18th,19th and 20th in Buka.

And they are organizing a meeting with all women at the BEL ISI PARK tomorrow Friday morning to talk to women members on this issue.

They claimed that talk of participants of the workshop securing loans from the NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BANK by attending this workshop is not true and want the women to be aware of some women who want to benefit from other women in the name of Bougainville women.

Meanwhile, Organizer of the said training MRS NESSIE TOLD New Dawn FM this afternoon that the trainings are to make the women aware of the opportunities that are available to women who want to go into Business.

She said the fees that are been charged are to cater for materials and refreshments that would be provided during the training.

She said the fees have been charged by the facilitators of the training, OFFICE DYNAMICS.

She said the workshop would greatly assist the women to organize and start their own businesses or if they are already operating they can be assisted to get loans to strengthen existing operations.

14.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Landowners want mine re-opened

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE landowners of the world class Panguna mine in Central Bougainville want the mine to be reopened.

Speaking during the launching of the Panguna Peace Building 

Strategy that was held at the Panguna Sports Ground on Tuesday, Chairman of the Panguna landowners association Chris Damana said the reopening of the Panguna mine is conditional, and that they are ready for the mine’s reopening.

However, Mr Damana said this will only come about if all factions, organisations and people within the Panguna area resolve their differences and work together. 

Mr Damana also told those present that the Panguna mine belongs to all the people of Bougainville.

He said once the mine is reopened it will be owned by Bougainvilleans and not just the landowners.

“If this Panguna is reopened, it is for Bougainville. 

“That is our mission statement. Panguna is for Bougainville, and I want to see the reopening of Panguna when I am still alive,” Mr Damana said, which drew a lot of applause from the people. He said this is because all Bougainvilleans were affected as a result of the Bougainville Crisis.

Mr Damana also added that once the mine is reopened it will help generate revenue for Bougainville.

“If we do not have the money, I am very sorry to say here today that we will not breakaway (from PNG). 

We need money to look after our schools. And this money must be generated here in Bougainville.

The Panguna Landowners Association is made up of six associations from within the Panguna mining area.

Other leaders from the Panguna area present during the launching said they also want the mine to be reopened. 

Meanwhile, Mr Damana is challenging the people of Panguna to unite for their future, which lies in their own decisions.

He said in order to bring everlasting peace, they should work together with all the factions and organisations in the area.

He also appealed to all Bougainville leaders to support the people of Panguna, adding that by doing this the Panguna Peace Building Strategy will achieve its purpose of establishment.

14.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Miriki: Me’ekamui must co-operate with ABG

BOUGAINVIILE House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Andrew Miriki, has called on Bougainvilleans to unite and work together for the upcoming Referendum on Independence.

The Referendum, one of the three pillars of the Bougainville Peace Agreement, is to be held between 2015-2020.

Mr Miriki made a call for the Me’ekamui Government of Unity’s active participation in the process following his return from Central Bougainville Region Districts’ Planning workshop held at Panguna.

The workshop was attended by leaders from Central Bougainville and the Me’ekamui. 

The Speaker encouraged the Me’ekamui leadership to join and actively support preparations for the Referendum.

Mr Miriki had also travelled to Tonu in the Southern Siwai District to attend the funeral of his mentor and colleague in the struggle for Independence, late Jonathan Gnati.

When officially opening the Panguna workshop, the Speaker said the Peace Agreement, signed between Papua New Guinea and Bougainville leaders in 2001, “provides the only real avenue or framework through which Bougainville will hold her Referendum for Independence”.

There is, he stressed, “no other way available to the people of Bougainville to achieve the political settlement that they seek - that being Independence”.

The Speaker believes the Me’ekamui leaders at the meeting now clearly recognise and understand that the (John Momis-led) Autonomous Bougainville government is the vehicle that will take Bougainville to Independence.

Accordingly, he says, “it makes perfect sense that leaders of the Me’ekamui Government of Unity should now mobilise their followers to work in the true spirit of co-operation and partnership with the Momis regime to quickly complete the important work of preparing Bouginville for referendum.”

He added that the time for “the blame game, doubt and distrust is over...We are all in this together and the time is now right for all Bougainvilleans to unite and work towards assuring that the Region is ready for the important occasion that is ahead of us”.

14.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier - Letter to the editor

RIO BCL’s second coming to Panguna is vital

IT is interesting to read and note that RIO, through BCL, is very adamant about returning to Panguna; not surprising as the stakes are high at local, national, regional and international levels. 

RIO through BCL should make a calculated but friendly return to Panguna as they have learnt their lesson the hard way and the purported trade-ins will be very big.

The saying: “It’s better to deal with the devil you know, rather the devil you do not know” should be the guiding approach to the second coming of RIO through BCL. 

It’s now up to the Panguna landowners, ABG and the Bougainville people to decide RIO BCL’s second coming, but it should happen now rather than later. RIO BCL wants a mine; landowners want a miner; ABG wants a mine and AROB people want a mine — this window of opportunity is here — for sustained development, growth and posterity for all in Bougainville.

JK Semos, Madang

14.02.2013

Source: The National

Bougainville factions team up for peace 

By ALOYSIUS LAUKAI

THE faction outside the Bougainville peace process has joined the other two parties to foster reconciliation and peace-building in Panguna.

The Meekamui group led by Chris Uma, yesterday joined the process funded by AusAID through Strongim Pipol Strongim Nation (SPSN).

The Panguna conflict began in November 1988 when disgruntled landowners dynamited the first power pylon.

AusAID will pay K1.2 million and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) K1 million.

The ABG and the Meekamui unity government signed the Panguna communique four years ago to separate Panguna from the Kieta district.

Outgoing Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish said Australia had a long history with Bougainville and the occasion opened another chapter in the relationship.

Kemish said Australia would continue to assist wherever it could to see Bougainville come off its problems.

He said Bougainvilleans needed to unite to see it advance.

On the future of the Panguna gold and copper mine, he said Australia had no say in it and it was up to the people to decide how they wanted to address it.

He also questioned the people if they were ready to re-open the mine.

Kemish was accompanied by wife Roxanne Martens on this farewell trip to Bougainville.

Meekamui unity government president Philip Miriori called on the Panguna people to forget their differences and work together to change Panguna for the better.

He said the time was right for the people to unite and work as one people.

Chairman of the Panguna Landowners Association, Chris Damana, called on the people to realise that the only way for Bougainville to attain referendum and independence was through economic self-reliance.

Therefore, the Panguna mine must be opened to raise funds for the people and their government, he said.

Damana added if Panguna was not opened, Bougainville would not be able to raise money needed to fulfil one of the three pillars of the peace process.

Ways to fund the peace-building strategy was also signed yesterday.

The launching was witnessed by ABG ministers, Meekamui, the United Nations team on Bougainville and the people of Bougainville.

Last tour of duty … Outgoing Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish being welcomed by a chief at Panguna in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. This was Kemish’s last trip to the region and it was a special one when he witnessed another milestone in the Bougainville peace process.

13.02.2013

Source: ESBC

VOICES ON PANGUNA 

13.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

TORORIA COMMENTS

By Aloysius Laukai

One Bougainville citizen, SAM TORORIA has commented on the Panguna Peace building Strategy launched yesterday in Panguna.

He commented and I quote “Another day of celebration on Bougainville! Another instrument to drive Bougainville Peace Process forward has been signed up at Panguna.”

He said despite all these programs, so many ordinary Bougainvilleans continue to question on the day when the mine would be re-opened.

MR. TORORIA also questioned how many such strategies are yet to be signed before the electric shovels begin extracting the remaining mineral deposits out of PANGUNA.

He said that the document initialled will only bear fruit if and when Bougainvilleans are truly united and do speak the same language reiterating what the President has been repeating since day one.

13.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SYDNEY MEET

By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville leaders led by ABG President JOHN MOMIS and FINANCE, PLANNING AND TREASURY Minister ALBERT PUNGHAU, former national member for Central Bougainville and PNG Mining minister, SAM AKOITAI, Geologists DAVID OSIKORE, CEO for the ABG Mining Division, STEPHEN BURAIN and Director for Panguna negotiation office, RAYMOND MASONO are currently in Sydney Australia to attend a meeting at the Australian National University (ANU) to discuss on mining on Bougainville and its impacts to the communities.

The meeting will be held at 4 pm tomorrow afternoon.

In the mean time whilst talks are to resume on the future of the mine, thousands of Bougainvilleans are involved in artisanal mining in many parts of Bougainville, generating significant economic activity.

The ABG is developing its own mining legislation, which will deal with the controversial issue of ownership of minerals by land owners and should go before the March session of the ABG Parliament.

13.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER

By Aloysius Laukai

Foreign Minister Bob Carr yesterday announced Ms Deborah Stokes (pictured) as Australia's next High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea.

Ms Stokes is expected to take up her appointment in March 2013, replacing Mr Ian Kemish AM.

Ms Stokes is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and was most recently head of the Department's International Organisations and Legal Division.

She has previously served as Australia's Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, and as Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo.

Ms Stokes earlier held positions at the Australian Embassy in Yangon and with the United Nations Development Programme in New York. She has also held senior positions in AusAID.

Ms Stokes holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Adelaide and a Master of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge.

Australia has a long-term commitment to Papua New Guinea's development. Australia is Papua New Guinea's largest aid donor, providing $491.7 million in development assistance in 2012/13.

Two-way trade between the countries is worth more than $7bn a year, with Australian investment in Papua New Guinea exceeding $16bn.

Australia and Papua New Guinea work closely on regional and international priorities through the Pacific Islands Forum, APEC and the United Nations.

Ms Stokes is the first female High Commissioner for Australia in PNG.

Current High Commissioner, Mr Ian Kemish, plans to depart PNG on 1st March and Ms Stokes is expected to arrive in mid-March.

BACKGROUND
 

13.02.2013

Source: PNG Attitude

Pathway to militancy: Growing up in Oune politics

by LEONARD FONG ROKA

Oune is a small enclave of people between Avaipa (Eivo) and Ioro (Panguna) with its own Nasioi dialect. The enclave covers the villages of Onove, Enamira, and Darenai that surround what is now referred to as the Panguna mine’s ‘upper tailings zone’ of the Kavarong River. Today, the area is commonly called the Tumpusiong Valley and referred to as being ‘along the dirt’ in Nasioi because of the mine waste that destroyed the valley.

The area is home to the late ABG president, Joseph Kabui, his elder brother, Martin Miriori, and another notable figure in Bougainville political history, the late Luke Robin, whose murder in Goroka in the early 1970s alongside his Buin brother, Peter Moini, resulted in increased anti-PNG and BCL feeling. Compared with most of the Panguna District, Oune is an area with many educated people.

AS THE MINING GIANT, Conzinc Rio Tinto Australia (CRA) was clearing the jungles and digging up the mountains of Panguna in the 1960s, downstream the Kavarong River daily dumped tonnes of waste on Clement Nabiau and his Oune people. 

They watched as their food sources in the river and along the surrounding banks were biologically mutilated by a force beyond their understanding. 

To the Oune people, CRA and the colonial government, dominated by New Guineans and white men, was beyond their reach. So their strategy was to wage war on the works in an attempt to politically rescue Bougainville.

In 1968 when the Oune people organised themselves, Clement Nabiau (pictured) was 13 years old. 

Under the leadership of Catholic mission-educated Michael Aite from the Avaipa area (nicknamed Makakii = physically slow growing person), the people created a village level governing body called Oune Mumungsina. 

The inauguration was witnessed by Bougainville leaders Moses Havini and Leo Hannet. It had Dupanta village, on the border of Avaipa and Panguna, as its official headquarters.

Oune Mumungsina, as an organisation of the people, stretched its influence to the neighbouring villages of Bapong, Pisinau, Damara and the Kosia area of Avaipa.

To the Panguna people, the western-educated Aite was a rare leader and many cult groups dissolved and joined forces with Oune Mumungsina. Aite was now an authority across Oune, Panguna, Avaipa and beyond. He had political alliances and support for secession from other parts of Bougainville.

By this time, the works at Panguna were fast developing and the Tumpusiong Valley was engulfed beyond imagination by the fallout from the mine site.

Oune Mumungsina’s first strike against CRA was an order to people to uproot the survey pegs marking the area of the Special Mining Lease (SML) at Onove. Young children like Clement Nabiau followed the elders to unearth the pegs and bring them back to the surveyors’ camp at Dau, a stream at Onove.

According to Nabiau, the colonial administration response was a build-up of police at the Dau camp. This did not stop the people, so a kiap later called a meeting with the disgruntled people.

As the Oune people awaited the kiap’s visit, word reached the leaders that Guava villagers with their leader, Oni, who had earlier signed the mining go-ahead, had said that the anti-mining Oune people would be their future housekeepers and cleaners as they sit and slept in luxury from the mine benefits.

So the Oune leaders plotted that the coming meeting with the kiap would now be used for an attack on the Dau camp, the kiap and the police. 

The plan was for the chief of Enamira, the late Kuirua, to wave a leaf he was holding as an order to start the fight.

So on the meeting day in June 1969, the Oune people went with bows and arrows and clubs wrapped in leaves. Smaller kids like Nabiau had stones in their hands and listened for the elders’ guidance.

At the meeting place, chief Kuirua argued with a police officer from Nagovis called Potuga. The people awaited the order to start fighting. In the delay, three short-tempered elders (ring leaders of the CRA peg uprooting), I’ampama, Karo’aung and I’mu took, took things into their hands.

I’ampama rushed at the kiap and grabbed his neck intending to choke him to death. So the fight broke out.

Young Nabiau threw stones at the police and CRA employees and watched awestruck as the elder I’mu hurled the police officers one by one into the Dau stream and against the rocks below. 

The Oune fought with physical strength despite the large amount of tear gas used by the police.

Later in the afternoon, Karo’aung, seeing that there would not be an early end to the fight, gave himself up to the police. I’mu then also surrendered and was arrested. So, as the leaders were taken away, the fighters halted with a sense of dismay.

The police took the pair to Kieta, at the time the colonial government headquarters, where they were sentenced to six months gaol. 

After completing their term, they returned as heroes and were welcomed at Onove village with a feast. The people’s struggle against CRA and the government continued. 

Nabiau remembers that the Oune Mumungsina’s next encounter with the colonial government was in Arawa in 1974. At the time, Bougainville leaders Fr John Momis and Leo Hannet were in New York seeking independence for Bougainville from the United Nations. 

The people were glad as they waited for the pair to return from New York. But when the news was negative, the Oune people stormed the government building in Arawa known as the White House.

They marched around the White House ordering PNG to get out of Bougainville. But their cries landed on deaf ears so the people went into hiding and wept over the rape of their island by strangers.

In 1975, Nabiau and his Oune people organised another demonstration order. They were to hit Arawa again. Before marching into the town, leaders gathered at Dupanta and planned a sports bazaar at Onove village that was to go for weeks. Food was to be brought by villages as far as Nagovis. 

People were grouped into two: one group was to remain at Onove playing sport and administering the food supply; the other group was to march to Arawa seeking independence from the government and remain there for as long as it took to reach an agreement for Bougainville secession.

As planned, the sports bazaar at Onove was launched and off went the march to Arawa.

This time, Oune Mumungsina was helped by the Mungkas Association led by a man called Linus Konuku from Buin. Mungkas was a group formed by Bougainville students in Port Moresby and it provided funds to hire trucks to transport people from Onove to Arawa. Food was also trucked from Oune.

A week or so before 1 September 1975, according to Nabiau, the group was transported to Arawa. There they demonstrated for the PNG government of to get out of Bougainville.

The police confronted them with tear gas and batons and chased around the White House, but would not break up. Two police officers were attacked by demonstrators, one receiving a club blow from I’ampama. After days of confrontation with the police, slowly the mood of the demonstrators calmed.

No government official was there to receive their cries, so after days of meetings on the lawns of the White House, the frustrated Leo Hannet declared a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) stating that Bougainville had become the Republic of North Solomons on 1 September 1975. 

Bougainville operated under this UDI for a number of days but later the Oune people were told that what they had being happy about was illegal.

Once again, Nabiau and his people were defeated by foreigners who were destroying their land and culture.

Demoralised, they returned home. The news was shocking for the people at Onove who played and waited for weeks for good news of Bougainville being free from the foreigners.

The news nearly led to an internal fight amongst the Oune Mumungsina.

With the political fight undergoing setbacks due mainly to the lack of educated people in the Panguna area, the Oune Mumungsina targeted Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL). 

In the early 1980s, Nabiau and the elders occupied the Jaba Pump Station and disturbed mine operations for some hours.

According to Nabiau, BCL bribed the elders and the protest was called off.

The next protest Nabiau attended was at BCL head office in Panguna, known as the Pink Palace. This march in 1979 was to protest for a rise in royalties and the people hoped for immediate feedback from BCL.

The Oune people assembled at the Pink Palace with their petition but the BCL authorities did not bother to act swiftly. The people sat outside under the shimmering heat of the sun.

Out of frustration, some protestors decided to loot Panguna’s AEL supermarket. Nabiau was in the group drinking soft drinks when the police intervened and chased them with tear gas and shouts, calling them ‘insane black bastards’. 

Nabiau escaped uninjured. But some of his friends were hurt while others were arrested but later released.

After some years of calm, but with weeping hearts and a desire to shut the mine, in 1981 Nabiau with his Oune people blocked the port-mine access road at the Camp 10 bus depot area.

The demonstration lasted for a day before the government and BCL deployed riot police on Nabiau and the demonstrators.

Then around 1988, Nabiau joined the Oune people and other supporters at a sit-in strike blocking access to vehicles at the pit-access tunnels. Traffic was disturbed for a day and buses could not take workers to the pit area of the mine.

The last demonstration Nabiau and his Oune people organised was in 1989 and it was this protest that sent BCL packing and left PNG in shock.

It was the protest that had the late Francis Ona run into hiding and later saw Bougainville dissolve into anarchy.

In early 1989, after listening to the fights happening around Arawa, the Oune people saw that they should shut the mine by force. The young men were ordered by elders to bring all of BCL’s plant and equipment in the tailings control areas to the Tungsing creek. 

One of Bougainville’s best known politicians, Martin Miriori, used his vehicle to bring young men to various locations along the Tumpusiong Valley. Once all the plant was brought, a section of the Panguna-Jaba road at the Tungsing creek was destroyed.

Once again the Oune people plotted an attack on the police and assigned a local politician, Wendelinus Bitanuma, to negotiate and if he disliked the talks, he was to wave his handkerchief so the men would start attacking.

To Nabiau, this was an opportunity to get the New Guinean policemen bathing in their blood.

When the police arrived, a local officer from South Bougainville had secretly told the protestors that the police had stocked all their tear gas and arms in a particular van. He told them that ,when they decided to attack, with his help they must secure the van.

Traffic was blocked for hours. Later in the day, police led by Commander Luke Pango arrived at the scene to negotiate the re-opening of the road. Local politician Wendelinus Bitanuma led the meeting with the police on behalf of the local people.

But Wendelinus Bitanuma never gestured, no one took the order into his own hands and the issue was sorted by Bitanuma and not by the men.

During the day, the late Francis Ona walked out of a meeting with BCL and prepared to go into hiding since as he claimed, ‘They [Oune] have started the fight, so let’s go to war with the company and PNG’ and militancy began.

Clement Nabiau became the commander of the very first organised militant group formed by the young men from the Oune area. It was called Rumbo One.

12.02.2013

Source: Radio-New Dawn on Bougainville

AUSTRALIA COMMITTED

By Aloysius Laukai in Panguna

The Australian High Commissioner IAN KEMISH says Australia has been in Bougainville under a different chapter in the history of Bougainville in the past.

And today's launch of the Panguna Peace Building Strategy opens another chapter in the peace process on Bougainville. He was speaking in Panguna today.

The High Commissioner said that Australian will continue to assist where ever it can to see Bougainville come out off its current problems. He said Bougainvilleans need to unite to see Bougainville move forward.

On the future of the mine he said that Australia has no say in it and it was up to the people to decide. He also questioned the people if they are ready for it.

The launch was welcomed by heavy downpour immediately after the speeches.

12.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

BCL quotes increase in resource base

The Bougainville Copper Limited has announced a significant increase in its resource base.

BCL is currently completing a revised order of magnitude study (OMS) that evaluates the technical and financial requirements to redevelop the Panguna Mine. This study informed an updated Mineral Resource statement.

Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) is owned by Rio Tinto (53.83 percent) and the Government of Papua New Guinea (19.06 percent) with the remaining 27.11 percent publicly owned. Panguna is a large porphyry copper and gold deposit located on Bougainville Island.

BCL operated the Panguna open pit mine from 1972 until 1989 when mining was suspended due to militant attacks on company personnel and operations.

In 2012, BCL revised the OMS with current metal price and cost estimates, revised the scale and options for a potential development including consideration of a higher output and more efficient ore processing plant and larger scale open-pit mining. 

The OMS base case considered mining rates of up to 100 million tonnes a year and processing DFO and PCS fines at 60 million tonnes a year. 

The resource estimate based on this OMS resulted in a 70 percent increase in tonnage to 1.8 billion tonnes, a 50 percent increase in contained metal to over five million tonnes of copper and 19 million ounces of gold and highlights the significance of the Panguna mineral resource. Assumptions used in the OMS can only be validated through further studies once safe access to the ground is made possible.

BCL Managing Director Peter Taylor said, “Although we are only at the Order of Magnitude stage of project study, the revised resource estimate supports consideration of a number of potential development options. 

BCL continues to work with stakeholders on exploring ways in which the project may be advanced.

12.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Mock Parliament for youths

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE Autonomous Region of Bougainville will be commemorating the Commonwealth Day by staging a mock Bougainville Youth Parliament in March this year.

Themed “Opportunity through Enterprise”, this year’s Commonwealth Day will be observed on March 11 at the Bel Isi Park in Buka town.

Youths from around Buka and Selau constituency in the northern tip of Bougainville have be selected to participate in the event.

The primary aim of the event is for the youths to familiarise themselves with the parliamentary chamber sittings.

They will also be participating in mock parliamentary procedures like the appointment of the clerk and his deputy, the election of the president and the vice president and the allocation of ministerial portfolios. 

The participating youths will be briefed on the roles and responsibilities they will play when the youth parliament convenes.

They will also be involved in the debate of make-up parliamentary bills. This will be the third time for Bougainville to observe this day by involving youths in a mock parliamentary session.

12.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PANGUNA KEY

By Aloysius Laukai in Panguna

The chairman of the Panguna Landowners Association, CHRIS DAMANA wants Panguna to reopen to support the ABG to reach its goal of economic self reliance in preparation for referendum and independence for Bougainville.

The chairman was speaking at the launching of the Panguna Peace Strategy in Panguna today.

He said the ABG and Bougainville needs Panguna to raise the much needed funds for tye government.

MR DAMANA (pictured sitting with grey shirt) said that Panguna must be opened in his lifetime.

12.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

NO BETTER TIME

By Aloysius Laukai

The President of the Mekamui unity government, PHILIP MIRIORI has called for unity from all Bougainvilleans to move Bougainville forward.

He said that there is no better time for Peace on Bougainville.

MR MIRIORI said that since the signing of the PANGUNA COMMUNIQUE in 2007 peace has slowly progressed peace into the Panguna.

He said if there is no unity the future of Bougainville is in question.

MR MIRIORI said that the problem started in Panguna and should end here at Panguna.

12.02.2013

Source: PNG Attitude

Revelations of alleged manipulation in BCL shares

by KEITH JACKSON

UNUSUAL ACTIVITY ON THE Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) last Friday “confirms our suspicion that there is on-going market manipulation” in Bougainville Copper shares, according to Axel G. Sturm (pictured), president of the European Shareholders in Bougainville Copper.

Mr Sturm said that the ASX had experienced its highest daily turnover in Bougainville Copper equities for many years – which he described as a “stunning quantity”. In total more than 2.2 million shares were exchanged.

He said that ESBC us now investigating this event and that by the end of this week it will report more and “be able to bring light into this unusual affair.”

Mr Sturm believes that the unusual surge in activity was part of a plot by “crooked individuals who try to pull down the share price by selling their shares under value”.

He has urged investors to buy BCL shares to thwart what he terms “this malicious down-trading”.

Mr Sturm remains bullish on BCL share price, currently trading around 63 cents, expecting that at fair value it will “soar to $3 or even more.”

He also welcomed as positive news that Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish will visit Panguna tomorrow.

Mr Kemish tweeted yesterday that he is “off to Bougainville for Panguna peace initiative supported by AusGov & ABG. Landowners, churches, former combatants & women coming together.”

12.02.2013

Source:The National

Bougainville to hold by-elections for vacant seats  

By ALOYSIUS LAUKAI

BY-elections for the four vacant seats in the Bougainville house of representatives will soon be conducted.

Electoral commissioner for Bougainville, Reitama Taravaru, told The National last Friday that they planned to update common roll and conduct awareness this month and next before going to the polls in April.

Taravaru said that he was now waiting for the Autonomous Bougainville Government to release funds for the by-elections.

He said a total of K1.5 million had been requested from the ABG and when the funds were allocated, he would now announce the dates.

He said while the Electoral Commission was preparing, he wanted the electorates to identify good candidates who could represent them in the Bougainville parliament.

Taravaru said the four constituencies had been without their members for a long time.

They are Lule in Buin, South Bougainville, Kongara and Rau in Central Bougainville and Hagogohe on Buka Island.

The two seats of Hagogohe and Kongara lost their members when the former members Robert Hamal Sawa and Dominic Itta resigned to contest the 2012 national elections.

The other seats of Lule and Rau became vacated when the former members, Paul Mitu and Joseph Egilio died last year.

Taravaru said the four constituencies had  missed out on the budget session at the end of last year and did not have their members to debate the budget on their behalf.

He added that the Electoral Commission owed service providers from the general elections a total of K1.7 million, which must be settled as this could disrupt the smooth operation of the by-elections.

12.02.2013

Source: EM-TV

Lontis people celebrate 100 years of Christianity

by Fabian Hakalits, National EMTV News

One hundred years of Christianity, remains a history for the Lontis people of Buka Island, in Bougainville.

They recently celebrated the centenary, marking the arrival of God’s Word, by the Catholic Missionaries.

In 1912, the Good news was brought to Lontis by local Catechists Gabriel Rohoa, Nicholas Boles and Nicholas Samu, along with Fr Albert Binois. The first chapel was built at Tutula, Soena village. 

Local Priest Fr Andrew Billy, led the thanksgiving Mass, attended by hundreds of parishioners, and also from around the diocese.

The centenary celebration ended with entertainments.

The first Marist missionaries, Fr Peter Meyer and Fr Eugienius Englert, and two other Samoan Catechist, arrived on August 7 1901. The first Mass was celebrated at Pokpok Island in Central Bougainville.

We are Church alive in Christ, and today lay people are taking ownership of the Church, strengthening the Catholic faith.

11.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Hospital need blood

 By Aloysius Laukai

 The Buka General Hospital is appealing for Blood donations from the general public following a fatal road accident in Sorom on the Nothern tip of mainland Bougainville.

 The car a toyota landcruiser travelling from Buin to Buka overturned when the driver failed to negotiate a sharp bend just off the Sorom Primary School.

 Eye witnesses told New Dawn FM that the car was overloaded with passengers especially students going to Schools in Buka.

 The eyewitness a staff of New Dawn FM was on the next vehicle travelling to Buka and assisted in retrieving the bodies and those seriously injured to Buka hospital.

 New Dawn FM was told that two died on the spot whilst others were rushed to the Buka Hospital.

 At the time of this report we were not able to confirm the number of deaths from this accident.

11.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

HIGH COMMISSIONER HERE

By Aloysius Laukai

The Australian High Commissioner,IAN KEMISH and his delegation arrived in Buka this morning on their way to Panguna for tomorrows launching ceremony of the Panguna Peace Strategy.

They will overnight in Buka and travel to Panguna in the morning.

On their arrival they were met by the Chief Administrator and AusAid officials at the Buka airport.

He made a courtesy call to the ABG Acting President PATRICK NISIRA and also toured the ABG Parliament.

The High Commissioner will also open the Nazarreth Rehabilitation Centre in Chabai tomorrow afternoon.

This is the High Commissioner's farewell trip to Bougainville as his term in PNG expired.

11.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BUIN POLICE CONFRONTED

By Aloysius Laukai

The South Bougainville Veterans Association has condemned the manner in which Police personnel in South Bougainville were threatened by some former combatants in Buin last night.

Secretary for the South Bougainville veterans, Sumbai told New Dawn FM from Buin that they were not happy in the manner in which they entered the Buin Police station.

He said issues such as this should be handled outside as it was a civil matter.

Attempts by New Dawn FM to talk to the people concerned were not succesful.

11.02.2013

Source: The National

Rio plans to restart Bougainville copper mine 

RIO Tinto is looking into restarting its Panguna mine in Papua New Guinea, one of the world’s largest sources of copper and gold until the company abandoned it 25 years ago.

A new study by Rio Tinto’s majority-owned subsidiary Bougainville Copper Ltd (BCL) says the mine on Bougainville Island still contains at least five million tonnes of copper and 19 million ounces of gold, worth US$41 billion and US$32 billion, respectively, at today’s prices.

Renewed interest in the Panguna mine comes as Rio Tinto, which is expected to report a 20% drop in annual profit to around US$10 billion on Feb 14, has earmarked a greater focus on its copper and iron ore businesses in the coming years.

Rio Tinto has long-shunned returning to the island despite an end to hostilities in 2001 and discussions from time to time with the government.

In 2005, it sold its stake in another mine in PNG’s Lihir Island.

There has been no exploration or mining at Panguna because the site remains off-limit despite the formation of an autonomous island government.

Between 1972 and 1989, some three million tonnes of copper and 9.3 million ounces of gold were mined from the Panguna lode.

The potential for a restart could only be fully assessed once it was safe to return to the mine, according to Peter Taylor, managing director of Bougainville Copper, which owns the Panguna mine.

The new estimate for copper and gold “supports consideration of a number of potential development options”, Taylor said in a statement.

“BCL (Bougainville Copper) continues to work with stakeholders on exploring ways in which the project may be advanced,” Taylor said.

Bougainville Copper’s income is now generated primarily as interest revenue on a range of investments.

In 2000, it began to dispose of its Bougainville assets and has since developed a portfolio of debt and equity investments.

For the year ended Dec 31, 2012, it posted a loss of K5.4 million (US$2.6 million).

11.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Projects at K100m for AROB

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

BOUGAINVILLEANS can now look forward to seeing many high impact projects and tangible developments taking place starting this year.

Funding for these high impact projects will be sourced from the K100 million that was drawn 

down to the Autonomous Bougainville government by the national government towards the end of last year.

This K100m is the first payment out of K500m that will be paid to the ABG over five years 

for high impact projects.

According to the budget breakup of this K100m, K20m will be used to seal the Buka ring road while K18m will be used for the Kokopau-Buin road sealing.

K10m will go towards the upgrading and maintenance of the provincial trunk road starting from Arawa to Bana, and Siwai to Buin while another K10m has been allocated for the maintenance and upgrading of feeder roads.

The Siara-Korepovi road, sometimes known as the west coast missing link road, has been allocated K5m.

Shipping woes currently faced by the atolls islanders of Bougainville have also been addressed in this K100m funding.

These islanders from Carterets, Nuguria (Fead), Mortlock and Nukumanu will benefit from K5m which is expected to be used to buy a ship to service their islands.

The Buka and Arawa water supply and sewerage project has been allocated K10m while K5m has been allocated for the Bougainville power upgrading program. 

K3m has also been allocated for the communication development project on Bougainville. This allocation will be used to improve communication network in Bougainville.

Other projects that have been allocated funding out of this K100m include cocoa development projects (K5m), a commercial fishing project (K2m), law and justice (K4m) and weapons disposal (K3m). These funding allocations, once fully utilised in its intended budgetary allocations will result in many tangible changes and developments taking place in Bougainville.

11.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Bank at their doorstep 

by WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE introduction of Bank South Pacific’s rural banking branch in the Wakunai District of Central Bougainville and Buin District in the South has helped many people, especially public servants and teachers. Instead of having to travel to either Arawa or Buka branches to do banking, BSP customers living near these two rural branches now have the opportunity of going there to do banking. Pictured are customers withdrawing money at the Wakunai rural branch.

11.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Four lucky in accident

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

FOUR people from the Haku constituency in Buka are lucky to be alive after the Toyota Hilux (5th element) vehicle they were travelling in was involved in an accident on Saturday morning.

Police in Buka confirmed that the driver and the passengers were under the influence of alcohol when the accident took place near Hangan village in the Tsitalato constituency on Buka.

They were returning to their village after enjoying themselves at a fundraising dance which was held at Buka’s Club Rendezvous when the accident took place.

Police added that the driver and his off-sider were lucky to have escaped serious injury by being saved by the vehicle’s airbag. The driver of the vehicle is still admitted at the Buka General Hospital.

Police identified the vehicle as belonging to the late Grand Chief Sir Donatus Mola.

The vehicle is believed to have been bought and donated to the late leader by ABG president, Chief Dr John Momis.

11.02.2013

Source: PNG Attitude

23 years on Charles weeps for his wife & daughter

by LEONARD FONG ROKA 

OPERATION TAMPARA WAS THE PNG government effort - including riot police and Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) elements - to quell the Bougainville uprising of May 1989 to early 1990.

Tampara is a Nasioi word that means ‘good’, so the military code name stood for ‘Operation Goodness’ or ‘Operation Bringing Goodness to Bougainville’.

But it was damning for old Charles Bangki (pictured) of Mosinau village in Panguna who had fled as a refugee to the Kongara 1 area of the Kieta District.

For Charles and the other people of Kieta, the name of the operation was a contradiction. In fact, it hardened people’s minds and hearts against the PNG government and against New Guineans and Papuans.

By the end of the operation, the villagers fully supported the militancy led by Francis Ona.

The PNG government’s brutality against the Bougainville people, who were fighting against PNG and Bougainville Copper Limited’s exploitation of their island, was fierce. The government and BCL supported each other to suppress the militancy for once and for all with every measure available.

The government security forces, as they were known, torched villages and looted gardens; used airborne machine guns, deployed mortars against civilians and killed innocent people.

Two of the many victims were Mrs Maria Bangki and her two-year old daughter, Joyce Bangki

Upon their arrival in May 1989, the PNGDF concentrated their energies in the areas surrounding BCL’s Panguna mine in the hope of arresting rebel leader Francis Ona. 

They began their unlawful acts of torching villages from the west of the mine site, in the Tumpusiong Valley.

When Australia donated four Huey helicopters, the PNGDF took the inaccessible villages of Widoi, Poaru and Mosinau in the Toio River valley, east and south-east of Panguna.

The PNGDF attack on the Toio Valley was overwhelming for the war-primitive militants who had no high-powered guns or mortars.

With mortar platoons perched on the Guava-Kokore ridge shelling the valley below and hovering choppers raking heavy machine gun fire upon the jungles, the government troops torched villages alongthe Toio Valley.

It was then that Charles Bangki and his wife Maria decided to flee for safety with their children to the Bougainvillean highlands in Kongara 1.

In the Kongara area, the family were refugees but safe.

But in October 1989, the PNGDF choppers began routine daily visits into the highlands of Bougainville. Government troops began visiting Sipuru and Kakusira villages in Kongara 2 by road, blocking off Kongara 1.

On a late October morning, the government forces raided the village of Tairima that was a few minutes’ walk from the Bangki family at Dopari. Stunned villagers watched from a distance as the soldiers burned down their homes.

By midday, mortar platoons engaged Dopari village. The Bangki family and the people fled into the inhospitable jungle. Here they erected makeshift shelters to hide from killers and looters.

From the safety of the jungle, they watched as Dopari village went up in flames. People wept for their assets. Then helicopters opened fire on the jungle, keeping the people on the run. 

On the morning of 28 October 1989, false silence and peace crept through the hideouts below the jungle canopy. The people thought the enemy might have withdrawn so a small band decided to visit their still-burning homes to fetch whatever property the inferno might have left untouched.

Seeing them, Maria Bangki, with her little daughter Joyce slung on her back, followed other villagers to fetch some belongings they had hidden in a bush in the vicinity of Dopari whilst escaping the gunfire the day before.

Her husband, Charles Bangki, in fear, resisted the move but Maria, as a mother, was not willing to see her 10 children go hungry and without clothes in the jungle.

In the peaceful afternoon air of the jungle next to the Dopari village, returning women, children and two elderly men came upon mother and the daughter and they began making their way deeper into the jungle following an old trail.

On the way the party came upon a freshly felled tree and began slowly cutting their way through the protruding branches when a heavy round of gunfire rained down on them.

The people fled in all directions from the bullets of a PNGDF ambush. 

As the lucky escapers began to find into each other and the whole party was regrouping, they realised that Maria Bangki and two-year old Joyce were not in their midst. The mother, who had her daughter playing on her back just minutes ago, was nowhere to be seen.

For days and nights, nobody wandered away from the camp but remained there in mourning. 

In the distance, government troops ran from village to village torching homes, looting gardens and killing domesticated animals to top up their Australian rations.

The villagers were reluctant to scour the bush for the bodies in the presence of the enemy.

Finally news reached Mr Bangki that his dear wife and daughter’s bodies had been airlifted by their killers to Arawa General Hospital to the north.

Charles Bangki took a two day journey with piercing sorrow through the jungles and rugged terrains of Kieta till he and his party reached the Pomaa Mountains in the hinterland south of Arawa. 

The sight of the distant Arawa town made his knees weaken and, alongside his relatives and family members, he broke into crying on the damp forest floor.

On the third day of his journey, they reached Arawa General Hospital.

There, in a refrigerated shipping container turned into a morgue, was his wife and daughter, whitened by ice and distorted by bullet wounds and blood stains. 

Charles Bangki fainted in sorrow and was helped and comforted by weeping relatives and family.

Since his family home of Mosinau in the Panguna area was out of bounds because of undisciplined PNGDF activities, Charles Bangki took the bodies of his wife and daughter to the much safer village of Parai’ano near Aropa airport and buried them there.

“We paid a highest price in our fight for our rights,” Bangki says today, “and it is about time the combatants and politicians take responsibility for their actions and do the right thing so Bougainville becomes independent and free from the irresponsible Papua New Guineans.

“Without the use of weapons in 1988, Bougainville would not be ours; it would have been Papua New Guinean land occupied by their illegal squatter settlements.”

Today Charles Bangki lives in Arawa with his eldest son and regularly visits his wife’s and daughter’s graves to pay respect.

“They left me 23 years ago,” he cried to me, but my wife and daughter are still around me.”

10.02.2013

Source: ESBC

Suspense.

On Friday, February 8th,  2013 the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in Sydney has seen its highest daily turnover in Bougainville Copper equities (BOC) since many years: In total 2,201,246 BOC shares were exchanged while the share price soared 5.26 per cent only ! 

This stunning quantity confirms our suspicion that there is an on-going market manipulation in BOC shares at the ASX. Actually the ESBC are investigating on this event. We believe that we will soon be able to bring light into this unusual affair.

Be prepared : At the end of this week we will report more on this! Until then we recommend to all investors STRONG BUY for BOC shares!  Those crooked individuals who try to pull down the share price by selling their shares under value cannot do this at infinitum! Once this malicious down-trading will be abandoned,  the share price is supposed to soar to AUD 3 or even more. This will be  justified by positive news from the ground that are in preparation. Next positive news will be the Australian High Commissioner's visit to Panguna on Wednesday this week!

Once the famous Hungarian speculator and analyst late André Kostolany (pictured) advised his followers to:  "Buy when bombs are blasting!"

10.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

FOUR SEATS TO BE FILLED

By Aloysius Laukai

The Bougainville Electoral Commission is in the process of conducting By-election for the four seats that remains to be vacant in the Bougainville House of Representatives.

The Electoral Commissioner for Bougainville, REITAMA TARAVARU revealed this to New Dawn FM yesterday.

He said that the Commission was looking at setting FEBRUARY as preparation month for the update of common roll and awareness and April as the election month.

MR. TARAVARU said that he was now waiting for the ABG to release funds requested to conduct the By-Election.

HE said a total of ONE POINT FIVE MILLION KINA has been requested from the ABG to fund the BY election.

The Electoral Commissioner said that once he has the money, he would now announce the date for the election.

He said that whilst the Electoral Commission was preparing for the By-election he wants the electorates to also identify a good candidate that can represent them in Parliament.

MR. TARAVARU said that the four constituencies have been without a member for a long time and was not good.

10.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ABG MEMBER LOCKED

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG member for South Nasioi, JOHN KEN was locked at the Buka Police Station cells this morning for damaging computers at the Chief Administrator’s Office in Buka.

He was under the influence of Liquor at the time of the incident.

New Dawn FM reporter was at the Police station when he noticed the member and asked why the member was in the cell and was told that he was arrested for damaging government properties at the Administrator’s office.

It is believed the member was locked for him to sober and he can be released as he was fully intoxicated by liquor at the time of the incident.

New Dawn FM immediately reported the matter to the ABG Speaker, ANDREW MIRIKI who promised to go and release the member.

08.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PANGUNA PEACE BUILDING STRATEGY

By Aloysius Laukai

As Bougainville puts past problems behind it and makes progress towards a peaceful, safe and prosperous future, there remains a need to reunite and heal divided communities.

This is the role of the Panguna Peace Building Strategy, a forward-looking reconciliation and mediation initiative for Panguna and its surrounds. It was set up by the Autonomous Bougainville Government in 2011, the Panguna Peace Building Strategy was initiated to help communities turn a new page; rise above the factionalism, divisions and suspicions that have done so much harm, and learn to trust each other again.  

The Autonomous Bougainville Government’s Panguna Peace Building Strategy has the backing of the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia, with AusAID providing K1.28 million to complement the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s funding commitment of K1 million.

A ceremony will be held on 12 February 2013 where the Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Ian Kemish (pictured) together with leaders from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and other dignitaries will officially launch the Panguna Peace Building Strategy significantly in Panguna where the seven year Bougainville Conflict began back in 1987. This groundbreaking event heralds a new beginning for the people of Panguna and surrounding areas who are keen to reconcile their factional differences and move forward to a bright and peaceful future. 

The Ceremony would be held at the Panguna Sports Oval between TEN AM and TWELVE MIDDAY.

08.02.2013

Source: PNG Industry News

Bougainville supersized 

by Blair Price

BOUGAINVILLE Copper Limited has increased targeted resources at the old Panguna copper-gold mine by 70% to 1.8 billion tonnes and lifted contained metal estimates by 50% to 19 million ounces of gold and more than 5 million tonnes of copper.

The increases to the previous 2009 resource estimates come from revisions made last year to the order of magnitude study for re-opening this mine in Papua New Guinea’s Autonomous Region of Bougainville. 

In 2009, the base case was similar to the scale of the operation in 1989, which mined 90 million tonnes from the open pit, including 33Mt of direct feed ore and 35Mt of pre-concentration screening material. 

But the sustained run of high copper prices made BCL lift the OMS base case to mining rates of up 100Mt per annum and processing DFO and PCS fines at a rate of 60Mtpa. 

While the scale of open pit mining was revised upwards, BCL said new options included consideration of a higher throughput and more efficient ore processing plant.

“Although we are only at the Order of Magnitude stage of project study, the revised resource estimate supports consideration of a number of potential development options,” BCL managing director Peter Taylor said. 

“BCL continues to work with stakeholders on exploring ways in which the project may be advanced.”

BCL has flagged another update to its ongoing OMS revisions in April. 

Panguna was the world’s fourth-biggest copper mine in the months before it closed in 1989 and had produced 9.3 million ounces of gold and 3 million tonnes of copper from 1972.

The mine was suspended due to militant attacks before the subsequent civil war, but ARB political leaders and landowner groups are increasingly supportive of re-opening Panguna to transform the local economy.

08.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PANGUNA STILL HAS LARGE DEPOSIT

By Aloysius Laukai

A new study by Rio Tinto's majority-owned subsidiary Bougainville Copper Ltd says the mine on Bougainville island still contains at least 5 million tonnes of copper and 19 million ounces of gold, worth $41 billion and $32 billion, respectively, at today's prices.

Renewed interest in the Panguna mine comes as Rio Tinto, which is expected to report a 20 percent drop in annual profit to around $10 billion on Feb. 14, has earmarked a greater focus on its copper and iron ore businesses in the coming years.

Rio Tinto has long-shunned returning to the island despite an end to hostilities in 2001 and discussions from time to time with the government. In 2005, it sold its stake in another mine in Papua New Guinea's Lihir island.

There has been no exploration or mining at Panguna because the site remains off-limit despite the formation of an autonomous island government.

Between 1972 and 1989 some 3 million tonnes of copper and 9.3 million ounces of gold were mined from the Panguna lode.

The potential for a restart could only be fully assessed once it was safe to return to the mine, according to Peter Taylor, managing director of Bougainville Copper, which owns the Panguna mine.

The new estimate for copper and gold "supports consideration of a number of potential development options", Taylor said in a statement.

"BCL ( Bougainville Copper) continues to work with stakeholders on exploring ways in which the project may be advanced," Taylor said.

Bougainville Copper's income is now generated primarily as interest revenue on a range of investments. In 2000, it began to dispose of its Bougainville assets and has since developed a portfolio of debt and equity investments.

For the year ended December 31 2012, it posted a loss of 5.4 million kina, or about $2.6 million.

08.02.2013

Source: Alex Moffatt's Market Review (J Palmer + Sons)

Rio Tinto (RIO) is looking into restarting its Panguna mine in Papua New Guinea, one of the

world's largest sources of copper and gold until the company abandoned it a quarter century ago

after local villagers chased off workers in a secessionist uprising. A new study by Rio Tinto's

majority-owned subsidiary Bougainville Copper (BOC) says the mine on Bougainville island still

contains at least five million tonnes of copper and 19 million ounces of gold, worth USD41 billion

and USD32 billion, respectively. Bougainville was one of my tips for Tim Boreham’s (The

Australian) tipping competition this year. The Australian, Criterion column 2nd. February

08.02.2013

Source: Papua New Guinea Mine Watch

Rio Tinto considers restarting

Papua New Guinea copper mine

by James Regan | Reuters

Rio Tinto is looking into restarting its Panguna mine in Papua New Guinea, one of the world's largest sources of copper and gold until the company abandoned it a quarter century ago after local villagers chased off workers in a secessionist uprising.

A new study by Rio Tinto's majority-owned subsidiary Bougainville Copper Ltd says the mine on Bougainville island still contains at least 5 million tonnes of copper and 19 million ounces of gold, worth $41 billion and $32 billion, respectively, at today's prices.

Renewed interest in the Panguna mine comes as Rio Tinto, which is expected to report a 20 percent drop in annual profit to around $10 billion on Feb. 14, has earmarked a greater focus on its copper and iron ore businesses in the coming years.

Rio Tinto has long-shunned returning to the island despite an end to hostilities in 2001 and discussions from time to time with the government. In 2005, it sold its stake in another mine in Papua New Guinea's Lihir island.

There has been no exploration or mining at Panguna because the site remains off-limit despite the formation of an autonomous island government.

Between 1972 and 1989 some 3 million tonnes of copper and 9.3 million ounces of gold were mined from the Panguna lode.

The potential for a restart could only be fully assessed once it was safe to return to the mine, according to Peter Taylor (pictured), managing director of Bougainville Copper, which owns the Panguna mine.

The new estimate for copper and gold "supports consideration of a number of potential development options", Taylor said in a statement.

"BCL ( Bougainville Copper Limited) continues to work with stakeholders on exploring ways in which the project may be advanced," Taylor said.

Bougainville Copper's income is now generated primarily as interest revenue on a range of investments. In 2000, it began to dispose of its Bougainville assets and has since developed a portfolio of debt and equity investments.

For the year ended December 31 2012, it posted a loss of 5.4 million kina, or about $2.6 million.

08.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Police recruit in Bougainville

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE Bougainville Police Service (BPS) will be conducting its recruitment again this year. 

This announcement was made recently by the head of the Bougainville police ACP Thomas Eluh before taking his recreation leave.

ACP Eluh said Bougainville was fortunate to have been given 60 spaces at the Bomana Police Training College this year.

According to the BPS training section, applications will be opened in March while the recruitment and selection process will be done in April. The recruitment will be conducted by officers from the Recruitment Division of the Royal PNG Constabulary headquarter in Port Moresby. These 60 new recruits after completing their six months of basic police training will return and boost the number of police personnel on Bougainville.

At the moment, there are only about 170 regular police personnel on Bougainville who are assisted by the community auxiliary police.

Meanwhile, Mr Eluh has reiterated his stand that he will be getting tough on those policemen and women who fail to perform their duties and responsibilities.

He said he was already fed up with these uncommitted officers and added that not long he would be terminating some of them.

In response to queries on the termination exercise, he said he was not concerned about numbers of policemen but their performance.

08.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

CEO operating from hotel bar table

THE Chief Executive Officer of Bougainville’s Division of Culture, Tourism, Environment and Conservation is currently operating from a hotel.

This is because the Autonomous Bougainville Government(ABG)’s Administration has not yet provided funds to set up an office for the recently established division.

According to the CEO and other officers, the division’s operations are currently not being funded and it is uncertain whether they will receive a slice of the Government’s recurrent budget for 2013.

However, they say, the division has been promised a sum from the K100 million drawn down from the Papua New Guinea National Government late last year.

Martin Terea, Senior Regional Culture Officer said: “We do appreciate the fact that the division was created in October, which stands far out of the 2013 budget framing period which began in August 2012. However, as a responsible Government, the ABG and the administration must make sure there is immediate recurrent funding.”

Mr Terea added that, apart from the CEO having no office, other officers attached to the division are operating “from streets and under tree shade”. 

Division officers are reportedly using their salaries for basic stationery and other administration needs.

Also, the Minister herself has no proper office but is operating from the premises of a private company which has given her temporary use of office space without rent.

08.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Post-Courier makes new appointments

THE Post-Courier has announced the appointments of senior journalist Gorethy Kenneth (pictured) as Chief of Staff and Melanie Vari and Ephata Samuel as the Business and Sports Editors of the newspaper.

Ms Kenneth previously worked as the Post-Courier Buka Bureau Chief before returning to the newspaper’s headquarters in Port Moresby. She joined the newspaper in 2000 and is an award-winning journalist. Ms Vari joined the newspaper in October last year after working for the National Parliament as well as having brief stints with The National newspaper and undergoing postgraduate studies in Western Australia. 

Mr Samuel joined the newspaper in January 2008 and started off on the newspaper’s inaugural edition of the Weekend Courier, writing the magazine’s ‘Down Memory Lane’ and Flash Back’ columns as well as special assignments such as major sporting events. These included covering the 2011 Arafura Games. He previously worked for Coca-Cola as well as produced programs for EMTV and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). 

Post-Courier Editor Alexander Rheeney expressed confidence in their appointments, saying his newsroom management team was now in place and ready to steer the newspaper in its strive to improve the quality of its news as well as roll out new content for its readership.

“Our readers would have noticed the special reports we have published in the last one to two months on the Vanuatu-Connection, Spotlight on Djoko, the PNG-Indonesia Border and MV Rabaul Queen – One Year On, which are issues of concern for a lot of Papua New Guineans. The newspaper will this year bring you more of these reports in the hope that the spotlight will compel Government to act,” he said.

For the sports pages, Mr Samuel recently commissioned the Papua New Guinea Kumuls – Road to the World Cup which is a column dedicated to the 2013 Rugby League World Cup in October this year. 

Columns and pages dedicated to other sports will also be rolled over the course of this year.

08.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

NEW DAWN FM REPORTS

 By Aloysius Laukai

 New Dawn FM will continue to expose both good and bad things happening on Bougainville.

 Editor for New Dawn FM news ALOYSIUS LAUKAI made these comments when reputing claims in today’s Post Courier that the two new vehicles owned by the Siwai District Office and the Bana District office were not taken by disgruntled people.

 On today’s islands page the Acting Police chief, PAUL KAMUAI said that NEW DAWN FM wrongly reported the vehicles.

 A report aired on New Dawn FM earlier was that the Siwai district car was removed by ex-combatants when the Officer in charge was seeing misusing the vehicle.

 It was also reported that a police officer in AMEO government station was also involved.

 The car was later taken back by the Minister for Finance, Planning and Treasury and Siwai member ALBERT PUNGHAU.

 And the BANA district vehicle had its parts removed by someone over outstanding claims.

 The parts removed from the BANA vehicle was returned after talking with the Deputy Chief Administrator Operations(Acting) PAUL KEBORI

 Although the grievances have been settled the damage has been done already and must be condemned by all citizens of Bougainville who want peace and justice to prevail.

 New Dawn FM maintains that we got information from reliable sources to release such information to the public which must be reported as it only tarnishes good efforts we are all trying to achieve.

08.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PANGUNA FORUM 2

 By Aloysius Laukai

 The Second of the several Regional Forums on Panguna Negotiations is scheduled for the 26th and 27th of this month at the Hutjena Secondary School.

 The Forum is for the North Bougainville mainland that is SELAU, SUIR, KUNUA,TINPUTZ and including TOROKINA.

 The first Forum was also held at the same location but for Buka ISLAND, ATOLLS and NISSAN.

 The aim of these regional forums is to engage and update the various stakeholders and the wider Bougainville community of each region on the progress and preparing the ABG and landowners to participate in the Negotiations.

 Other similar Forums would be held in Central and South Bougainville this year.

 The forum continues the current phase of consultations between all stakeholders on Bougainville and is being organized by the Mining Division in consultation with the Director of Panguna Negotiations.

08.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BABATO ON SHARED RESPONSIBILTY

 By Aloysius Laukai

 The CEO for Education, BRUNO BABATO says that Education is a shared responsibility between the division and the parents and Citizens and including the students.

 He made this comments on NEW DAWN FM last night.

 MR. BABATO said that the National Government has paid 75 Percent of the total School fees for 2013 and it was now the parents turn to pay the remainder 25Percent at the start of classes.

 He said Parents are also required to make sure that Teachers housing and toilet facilities SECURITY and other needs for the schools are fully met.

 MR. BABATO said that people talk about the right to education but right must also come with responsibility by all stakeholders.

08.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MOMIS CONFIDENT

 By Aloysius Laukai

 The ABG President DR. JOHN MOMIS is confident Bougainvilleans are capable to progress in the near future.

 He says that before the Bougainville conflict Bougainville Provincial Government was the best in the country and can do it again this time under autonomy and independence.

 DR. MOMIS made these comments at TUNURU in Central Bougainville at the weekend.

 He said that if we can do it in the past we can do it again.

 The ABG President said that we just needed to concentrate and remain focus on our goal instead of being distracted by prophets of dooms on the sideline.

 He said as players in the TEAM BOUGAINVILLE we should not be worried by who are trying to divert our attention from our main agenda that is referendum and independence for Bougainville.

 DR. MOMIS said that with the date of referendum coming closer we must all work together as one united Bougainville.

 New Dawn FM understands that the ABG President continuous to carry out individual awareness to the people of Bougainville whenever he has the opportunity.

08.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BABATO ON TRANSFERS

 By Aloysius Laukai

 The CEO for Education, BRUNO BABATO said that transfers of students to different schools would be allowed after three weeks.

 In his welcome address to Teachers and students to the 2013 school year, MR. BABATO called on parents to allow the Schools to sort out all new enrollments before addressing transfers.

 He said Transfers of Grades Nines and Elevens would be allowed whilst Grade Tens and twelve’s would not be allowed to change schools.

 MR BABATO said that is because the final results for Grade Ten would come out from both Grade nines and tens whilst the result of Grade 12 would be collated from Grade eleven and 12 marks.

 He said that all students must enroll at a school before they can request for transfer to a different school.

BACKGROUND :

08.02.2013

Source: PNG Attitude

How stonewalling contributed

to the death of President Kabui.

by LEONARD FONG ROKA 

DAVID PERAKAI (pictured below), blood nephew of the late Bougainville President Joseph Kabui, was a founding figure in the militancy against Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) in 1988.

After the 1990 ceasefire between the Papua New Guinea Defence Force and the Bougainville Revolutionary Army he remained near his uncle and, with the dawn of the Bougainville Peace Process in 1997, he served as Kabui’s personal bodyguard until the president’s death in June 2008.

To Perakai, Kabui’s death was the ‘punishment’ of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) because of Kabui’s approval of Canadian businessman Lindsay Semple, who’s firm Invincible Resources backed the Bougainville Resources Development Corporation (BRDC) without cabinet’s blessing.

The BRDC issue was recently addressed on the floor of the ABG parliament by President John Momis. But back in 2005-2008, the ABG House with its few big-mouth parliamentarians was not willing to deal with it systematically.

According to David Perakai, the late president had the desire to treat the BRDC-Invincible Resources affair independently and did not dip his hands into the K20 million of Lindsay Semple’s money.

The ABG, under Kabui, initially used some of this money to repatriate BRA/Bougainville Interim Government (BIG) overseas based activists Moses Havini, Mike Forster and Martin Miriori (pictured on the right).

Some of this controversial money undeniably went into the pockets of BRDC/Invincible supporters; some went to the recently completed ABG housing project at Hutjena, Kubu and Sohano.

But Kabui’s parliamentarians protested against him by denying him access to clean funds for medical treatment overseas.

Just before the BRDC/Invincible Resources standoff, the late Joseph Kabui was admitted to the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby with a serious heart problem.

He was referred to the Catholic Church run Malhas Hospital in Townsville, Australia, for an operation to replace the main artery supplying blood to the heart.

Thus in June 2007 President Kabui, his wife and David Perakai were in Townsville where Kabui’s artery was removed and replaced with a plastic artery that required a review every six months at the cost of some K10,000. With other expenses like transport it would add up to K20,000.

Upon his return, the ABG row over BRDC/Invincible Resources erupted, dividing the government and arousing public condemnation of the president.

In light of his medical needs, and in an attempt to isolate the BRDC/Invincible Resources crisis (see the Journeyman's TV report), Kabui pushed for a proper budgetary allocation for his medical review. This was denied.

By this time another problem had surfaced in the ABG. The member for Central Bougainville Women, Magdalene Toro’ansi (pictured on the left), was stripped from her portfolio for being a mole in the ABG.

Toro’ansi was known in the ABG for leaking confidential ABG agendas to Waigani before planned Waigani-ABG meetings. Thus all ABG meetings and negotiation strategies were unproductive. So the Bougainville Executive Council removed her to the backbench.

To cover up her disloyalty to Bougainville, Toro’ansi joined the anti-BRDC camp that included parliamentarians Robert Sawa Hamar, Thomas Lugabai and Francisca Semoso. This change added fuel to the anti-Kabui campaign.

The protestors claimed that President Joseph Kabui was misusing public funds in the pretext of medical trips.

With a settlement of the crisis nowhere in sight, the president’s health worsened as he faced the dilemma of missing the second medical review in June 2008. But with illness threatening he and David Perakai left for Manus where the Kabui chaired the Papua New Guinea governors’ meeting.

On Friday 6 June, the president and his team returned back to Bougainville without any rest when the protestors ordered a Bougainville Executive Council meeting to talk about the BRDC/Invincible Resources case by 1 o’clock that same day.

Just after midnight on the 7 June 2008, Joseph Kabui died at his residence in Hutjena.

For David Perakai and other parliamentarians and bureaucrats sympathetic to Kabui, there remain doubts as to why the President John Momis, after getting into office, cost the ABG some K80,000 for a medical review in Singapore with his whole family without any noise from parliamentarians!

This was a privilege that the late President Joseph Kabui had been denied.

07.02.2013

Source: Shareribs

Rio Tinto könnte riesige Kupfer- und Goldmine wieder hochfahren

 (shareribs.com) Sydney 07.02.13 - Der australische Minenkonzern Rio Tinto prüft derzeit den Neustart seiner Panguna-Mine in Papua Neuguinea. Diese soll zu den größten Kupfer- und Goldvorkommen der Welt gehören. Die Mine wurde vor 24 Jahren stillgelegt. 

Wie die Nachrichtenagentur Reuters berichtet, hat die Bougainville Copper Ltd, eine Tochtergesellschaft von Rio Tinto eine Studie veröffentlicht, laut die Mine über 5 Mio. Tonnen Kupfer und 19 Mio. Unzen Gold verfügen soll, der Marktwert läge, bei heutigen Preisen, somit bei insgesamt 74 Mrd. USD. Rio Tinto hatte die Mine vor 24 Jahren stilllegen müssen, da die Arbeiter bei einem Aufstand vertrieben wurden.

Rio Tinto hat kürzlich mitgeteilt, in Zukunft einen stärkeren Fokus auf die Kupfer- und Eisenerzproduktion legen zu wollen. Dies wurde als positive Einschätzung für Kupfer allgemein gewertet. Rio Tinto besitzt eine hohe Expertise auf dem Kupfermarkt, Entscheidungen des Unternehmens haben Gewicht. 

Die Panguna-Mine befindet sich in Zentral Bougainville, eine autonome Region Papua Neuguineas. Die Mine wird derzeit von einer Splittergruppe der Bougainville Revolutionary Army kontrolliert, ein Zugang ist, trotz Verhandlungen mit der Regierung, bisher nicht möglich.

Über etwaige Kosten für den Neustart der Mine wurde nichts bekannt. 

07.02.2013

Source: Reuters / Mining Weekly

Rio Tinto considers restarting Papua New Guinea copper mine

By James Regan

SYDNEY, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto is looking into restarting its Panguna mine in Papua New Guinea, one of the world's largest sources of copper and gold until the company abandoned it a quarter century ago after local villagers chased off workers in a secessionist uprising.

A new study by Rio Tinto's majority-owned subsidiary Bougainville Copper Ltd says the mine on Bougainville island still contains at least 5 million tonnes of copper and 19 million ounces of gold, worth $41 billion and $32 billion, respectively, at today's prices.

Renewed interest in the Panguna mine comes as Rio Tinto, which is expected to report a 20 percent drop in annual profit to around $10 billion on Feb. 14, has earmarked a greater focus on its copper and iron ore businesses in the coming years.

Rio Tinto has long-shunned returning to the island despite an end to hostilities in 2001 and discussions from time to time with the government. In 2005, it sold its stake in another mine in Papua New Guinea's Lihir island.

There has been no exploration or mining at Panguna because the site remains off-limit despite the formation of an autonomous island government.

Between 1972 and 1989 some 3 million tonnes of copper and 9.3 million ounces of gold were mined from the Panguna lode.

The potential for a restart could only be fully assessed once it was safe to return to the mine, according to Peter Taylor, managing director of Bougainville Copper, which owns the Panguna mine.

The new estimate for copper and gold "supports consideration of a number of potential development options", Taylor said in a statement.

"BCL ( Bougainville Copper) continues to work with stakeholders on exploring ways in which the project may be advanced," Taylor said.

Bougainville Copper's income is now generated primarily as interest revenue on a range of investments. In 2000, it began to dispose of its Bougainville assets and has since developed a portfolio of debt and equity investments.

For the year ended December 31 2012, it posted a loss of 5.4 million kina, or about $2.6 million.

07.02.2013

Source: Bougainville Copper Limited

New Documents !

Today, Bougainville Copper Limited published the following documents:

• Preliminary Final Report 2012
• JORC Compliant Resource Update

  Please click on the links above to download the PDF files  ! 

07.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Kamuai urges media to report facts responsibly

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

ALL media organisations in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville have been cautioned to report factual information.

That’s the message from the acting Bougainville police chief Paul Kamuai.

Superintendent Paul Kamuai had voiced his concern following a news report which was aired by one of the radio stations in Buka last week.

This report which was aired on New Dawn FM stated that the vehicles of both the Bana and Siwai district administrations in South Bougainville were forcefully taken by some disgruntled people.

But Mr Kamuai denied this incident saying that these vehicles were never taken by people. 

He then challenged the media organisations to check all their facts right before going public, saying that this type of misreporting should not be entertained because it can jeopardise all positive developments that has already been achieved. 

He however said there had been threats issued by some people that they would take these vehicles over non-payment of outstanding claims by the government.

Mr Kamuai said in the case of the Bana district vehicle, certain parts of the vehicle were removed by someone over outstanding payments of claims with the government.

But these parts were later returned following police intervention.

In the case of the Siwai district vehicle, the former combatants from the area had wanted to remove the vehicle from the district executive manager (EM) following some minor accidents caused on the vehicle. 

The vehicle was driven by the EM when the accident took place.

But Mr Kamuai has issued directives for the vehicle to be handed over to police in the area while this incident is addressed.

Once the incident is solved then police will return the vehicle back to the district administration.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Kamuai, who is also the South Bougainville Regional Commander, is appealing to the general public to respect government properties like vehicles.

He said people should not try to disturb any efforts taken by the government aimed at improving the delivery of government services.

He further warned that police would not hesitate to arrest those that are trying to prevent the government from carrying out its duties.

07.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Rescue flight aborts landing

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

A MEDIVAC flight chartered from Australia failed to land at the Buka Airport on Tuesday evening due to the poor lighting systems at the airport.

The plane which came from Cairns via Port Moresby arrived at the airport at around 6:15pm and tried a couple of times to find any landing opportunities but to no success. 

The plane was chartered to evacuate a female member of the New Zealand’s Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) organisation based in Bougainville who was down with sickness.

The local security firms engaged to provide security at the airport were the first to arrive and started advising people to keep off the runway.

Upon seeing that the pilot was finding it hard to land due to the poor lighting systems, the security firms then used their vehicles lights to try and show the pilot the runway. 

Not long other vehicles including two from the police and a tractor also made their way towards the runway to provide lights so the pilot can land the plane.

But the pilot, after trying for nearly an hour to find any landing opportunity, then decided to abort the rescue mission and made the return flight because it was too risky landing the plane.

The unexpected arrival of the plane had caught many people by surprise, with those living near the airport quickly making their way towards the terminal. 

Many were confused and curious to know why that plane was coming in to land very late in the evening, and who were the passengers on-board.

Meanwhile, many people who witnessed the drama are now calling on the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the National Airports Corporation to improve the lighting systems at the airport.

They said this is to avoid similar incidents from happening in future.

06.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PATIENT AIRLIFTED

By Aloysius Laukai

A New Zealand volunteer serving on Bougainville under the Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) ROWAN JO ANNE MIHI DE AO TANGATA was airlifted this morning to Cairns in Australia to seek medical attention.

The Plane CARE FLIGHT GROUP QUEENSLAND arrived in Buka at 9 30 this morning from Port Moresby where it stayed for the night after their failed attempt to land at the Buka airport last night.

The Medivac was to have picked up the volunteer ROWAN JO ANN from Buka but have to divert to Port Moresby after the pilot made five attempts to land due to poor visibility of the runway.

The Captain BORDISS DEAN ANTHONY told New Dawn FM that he was confused by the car lights on the tarmac and could not land.

He said if the aircraft was low on fuel it would still try until it landed but because it had enough fuel to fly all the way to Port Moresby he decided to opt for that option.

Dr. Elizabeth Thompson who came with the plane quickly checked the patient before letting her hop on the plan for a two hour direct flight to Cairns, Australia.

06.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BUKA NORMAL

by Aloysius Laukai

Buka remained Business as usual despite the Tsunami alert for the Pacific this morning.

The sea at the beach was normal although at the Buka passage the tide was pretty high.

Disaster cordinator for Bougainville FRanklyn lacey this afternoon called on the people on the beach to go to higher grounds until further notice.

The tsunami warning comes after a huge earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale.

A lot of people were in panic when the message was received in Buka town but New Dawn FM continued to keep the people updated on the situation.

06.02.2013

Source: EM-TV

Tsunami hits Solomon Islands after major quake 

A tsunami measuring 0.9 metres (3ft) has hit the Solomon Islands following an 8.0 quake.

The US Tsunami Warning Center earlier issued warnings for several South Pacific islands after a major earthquake measuring  struck off the Solomon Islands, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii says.

The warning was issued for the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Bougainville, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati, and Wallis and Futuna islands.

A tsunami watch has also been issued for the rest of the South Pacific nations, including Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.

The quake struck at a very shallow depth of only 5km and was located 340km east of Kira Kira in the Solomons.

"It is not known that a tsunami was generated. This warning is based only on the earthquake evaluation," said the tsunami centre.

At Lata Hospital in the Solomons, most of the patients have been taken to higher ground.

Charles Ngali, who is in the hospital, which is on high ground, told ONE News that he felt a series of strong earthquakes.

06.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Aliens in AROB must follow laws

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

FOREIGNERS thinking of using Bougainville as a cheap destination to conduct their illegal business activities have been warned that they will not easily be allowed into Bougainville.

That’s the warning from the acting chief of Bougainville police service (BPS) Paul Kamuai.

Superintendent Kamuai said a joint operation team consisting of BPS, PNG Customs Office in Buka and the PNG Immigration Department has already started conducting thorough investigations into the operations of Asian owned businesses operation in Buka town.

Many of these Asians, especially of Chinese origin, have already been interrogated since this joint operation started about a week ago.

According to reports reaching the Post-Courier, many of these aliens have senior positions such as managers and supervisors listed on their work permits. However, the investigating team uncovered that instead of working as managers or supervisors these Asians are posing as security guards in their shops.

Even some of them do not know how to speak English or Tok Pisin, which then makes it very hard for customers to communicate with them.

Superintendent Paul Kamuai said those Asians found without any valid documents will be severely dealt with. 

“If they came in the wrong way than we will have to get them out of Bougainville. If we need to deport them then we will deport them,” Mr Kamuai said.

Mr Kamuai said they are not stopping foreign investors from coming into Bougainville. 

“We are not against the idea of inviting foreigners into Bougainville. Our only concern is that if you want to come and do your business in Bougainville then you must come clean. You must come through the ABG and you must meet all requirements approved and set by the ABG. 

“If you are thinking of coming into Bougainville, you must ensure that you have all the necessary documents ready,” Mr Kamuai said. 

Mr Kamuai added that those foreigners entering Bougainville must also strictly be performing the roles that they are supposed to do as outlined in their work permits. 

After completing their investigations in Buka, the investigation team is expected to head to Buin in South Bougainville to interrogate other Chinese operating their businesses there.

Meanwhile, the joint operation has already received praise from Bougainvilleans. Many said this operation was timely because if nothing is done Chinese will over-take all Bougainvillean businesses.

They added that these Chinese have already “brainwashed” Bougainvilleans with many fake products.

06.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

ABG still owes dues to 10 firms

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE Autonomous Bougainville Government has been urged to settle oustanding claims for 10 business houses that provided services to the Government during the restoration period. 

The call was made by Bougainville Business Association (BBA). 

BBA spokesman Thomas Raban said he had been presenting this matter to the ABG administration for the last 15 years but his diplomacy approach had always fallen on deaf ears. 

Mr Raban said their claims were long overdue and the administration should try to settle their outstanding payments as soon as possible.

“I call that diplomacy illness,” Mr Raban said while expressing his frustrations.

Mr Raban, who is a BBA senior executive committee member, said president chief Dr John Momis had approved the payments for the business houses when he was governor in 2004. 

Mr Momis was assisted by the then Minister for Bougainville Affairs Sir Peter Barter in sourcing funds to settle these claims.

Mr Raban claimed that payment was approved, however, it was then diverted by the administration for other uses instead of settling these long outstanding claims.

Mr Raban has made numerous calls on the ABG administration to allocate funds and pay the business owners their dues but to no avail. 

“We followed the process of producing invoices to the administration through the certifying officers of the Bougainville Finance Division in duplicates as requested by the Finance Office. Yet the Government has never paid us anything up until now and we are still waiting,” he said.

“In the 15 years of my struggle to pursue these claims and be paid accordingly, we have been fed lies by the administration.

“We have been promised to be paid a portion of our claims, the left over remaining costs from the business houses’ individual company rental amounts, but nothing came through. Not even 50 percent of our claims have been paid. This is serious and should be settled as soon as possible.’’ 

The work done by the 10 business houses for the Government during restoration period dates back to 1997. 

06.02.2012

Source: ESBC Research

Preparing for a brighter future:

Reasons Bar & Grill in Buka

06.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn  on Bougainville

Medivac Returns

By Aloysius Laukai

The aborted medivac flight to Buka last night will pick up the sick patient a VSA woman this morning at 8 am.

According to the Bougainville Police Service Acting ACP PAUL KAMUAI told NEW DAWN FM this morning that the flight made five attempts to land and had to abort due to lighting problem at the Buka airport.

He said as usual the flight was in order with customs and immigration officials ready on the ground but could be due to bad weather they arrived when it was already dark.

He said that balot of curious people packed the airport as it was attempting to land in the dark.

The Buka airport has no night flight services.

Buka Airport : Landing by night impossible !

05.02.2013

Source: THE DIPLOMAT

Papua New Guinea: Riding the Resource Boom

by Anthony Fensom 

Papua New Guinea could become the next resources boom state, with a new study revealing the potential for export revenues to swell six-fold by 2030 to U.S.$38 billion a year.

According to a report by Port Jackson Partners commissioned by ANZ Bank, the island nation of 7 million people could benefit from U.S. $130 billion worth of resource-related capital investment through to the end of the next decade, creating more than 100,000 new jobs in mining, energy and support services.

For a country with nominal gross domestic product of an estimated U.S. $15 billion in 2012 and with nearly 40 percent of households living below the poverty line, the boost to national wealth could be considerable.

In a speech Monday to the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ANZ chief executive Mike Smith said:

“modest gains” in market shares for key commodities such as copper, gold and gas would deliver major growth in revenues.

“…Even on more conservative assumptions, [the report] suggests that annual revenues from resources could reach U.S. $25 billion by 2030 – more than four times current levels,” he said.

Like Australia, Smith said Papua New Guinea could benefit from the continued urbanization and industrialization of Asia, with the prosperity of both nations “underpinned by a super cycle in mining and energy, and increasingly in agriculture.”

“I believe agriculture has the potential to be the next sector in PNG to experience significant Asia-led growth. Here there is enormous up-side in commodities like palm oil and coffee; an up-side that will also require significant investment which could in-turn create a new wave of additional jobs in rural communities.”

The head of the Australian-based bank warned, however, that the country faced competition from other investment destinations, with a need to share the resources boom’s benefits across sectors, upgrade infrastructure and increase productivity to maintain competitiveness.

O’Neill: Political stability essential

Smith’s comments were welcomed by PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, who said they reflected “the policies my government has outlined as priorities for 2013”.

"The report commissioned by the ANZ highlights the enormous potential of our resource sector. Our challenge is to develop it responsibly, ensuring the benefits are shared, and ensuring the revenue inflows from resource development are responsibly managed,” he said in a statement.

O’Neill also used the remarks to bolster his case for political stability, after a standoff with past leader Sir Michael Somare that only ended with the July 2012 elections.

"Every major investor I meet also stresses the need for political stability. That is why my government is absolutely committed to the constitutional change to ensure the Prime Minister chosen after a national election cannot face a no confidence vote in the first half of the five year life of the National Parliament,” he said.

‘A lot can go wrong’

While the bullish forecasts may excite many, PNG watcher Blair Price, editor of the PNG Report, told The Diplomat that resources and not agriculture held the prospects for the greatest gains.

“I won’t comment on the estimates up to 2030 – ‘potentially’ a lot can go wrong quite fast in PNG. In my view the big opportunities come from gas and condensate developments which can build upon the PNG LNG project infrastructure. That includes additional trains for this project and the possibility that other gas finds can hook into this infrastructure for easier commercialization,” he said.

“The further copper-gold potential of PNG should not be overlooked either. Already the Wafi-Golpu and Yandera projects are world-class and the exploration potential at Bougainville is not well publicized – when that mine does reopen there will be huge opportunities if they are managed correctly.

“As for agricultural development, I think ANZ is being too optimistic. PNG is already facing stiff competition from Indonesia in oil palm and many parts of the country still have food production and drinkable water issues despite meters of annual rainfall and fertile soil. Then there is the dire lack of infrastructure to consider.”

According to the International Monetary Fund, Papua New Guinea has achieved buoyant economic growth averaging over 6 percent a year since 2007 on the back of strong commodity prices and macroeconomic stability, with growth estimated at 9 percent in 2012.

Ensuring the boom continues while avoiding the so-called Dutch disease will be the challenge for policymakers, as one of the region’s poorest nations suddenly finds itself among the emerging resources rich.

05.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Probe in Buka still on

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

POLICE investigations into the death of a correctional service officer in Buka last month is continuing.

Buka police station commander, Sergeant Emmart Tsimes said police have already apprehended some suspects and they are held at the Buka police cell.

However, they will not disclose any information regarding other possible suspects that they have yet to detain.

Mr Tsimes said the situation on the ground is still tense but police have been continuously monitoring the situation.

Mr Tsimes said they have been updating the relatives of the deceased on the progress of the investigation.

He is also appealing for corporation from both the relatives of the deceased and the suspects to allow police to continue with their investigation.

Both parties have since pledged to cooperate with police and have promised to allow the investigation to continue without causing anything that may deviate police efforts. 

CS officer David Sawa Gerio was found dead about three weeks ago in the Bekut area in the Peit constituency on Buka. The late Gerio was based in East Sepik but was on compassionate leave and was assisting at the Bekut CS Jail when he met his faith. 

Mr Tsimes is also appealing to those with information to help.

05.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Families of MV Rabaul Queen tradegy blast ABG

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has been blasted for not organising an event to commemorate the first anniversary of the MV Rabaul Queen tragedy.

Speaking on behalf of families of those that lost their love ones on that ferry disaster, primary school teacher Charles Paha said it would have been best if the ABG had come up with activities to mark this occasion.

“Other provinces did observe this day by remembering those that lost their lives during this incident. 

“Why didn’t the ABG also organise something like what the other provinces did. This shows that our government has already forgotten those that lost their lives. That is why there was not any activity planned by our government to commemorate this day,” Mr Paha said. 

Mr Paha is also calling on the ABG to construct a monument on the island which people can go to to commemorate this worst shipping tragedy to have happened in the maritime history of PNG.

This monument should have names of all Bougainvilleans that lost their lives during this tragedy.

He is also calling on the Bougainville Regional Disaster Office in Buka to update families of the victims and the survivors on the progress made so far regarding the Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the vessel.

Mr Paha said they have been left in the dark for too long without knowing anything regarding the inquiry.

Mr Paha’s wife and two daughters were also traveling on that ill-fated MV Rabaul Queen (pictured). Her daughters did survive the accident whilst the wife was amongst those that were never found. 

Sadly, the day the vessel sank was also Mr Paha’s 49th birthday.

The traumatic experience of losing his wife in the tragedy had resulted in Mr Paha applying for a one year leave from his teaching profession last year.

05.02.2013

Source: The National

Windfall 

PAPUA New Guinea could reap K80.1 billion annually, six times current levels, by 2030 because of an anticipated growth in global demand for its resources.

ANZ Banking Group chief executive officer Mike Smith said this could happen if “modest gains” could be made in market shares for key commodities.

Even on more conservative assumptions, annual revenues from resources could reach US$25 billion (K52.7 billion) by 2030 – more than four times current levels, he said.

Smith indicated that capital investment in PNG of around US$130 million (K274.26 million) between now and 2030 could create about 100,000 new jobs in mining, energy and support services.

With growth in Asia driving an increase in global demand for food, Smith believed agriculture had the potential to be the next sector to experience significant growth, benefiting the rural society.

05.02.2013

Source: The National

New mining publication out 

THE 2013 Profile magazine, a publication of the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum, contains PNG’s major projects, data, commentaries and graphs.

The publication, which was released at December’s mining and petroleum conference in Sydney, was distributed to PNG media last Friday.

Chamber executive director, Greg Anderson, said this 12th edition was a resource document containing balanced commentaries from the government and mining and petroleum industry.

He said the industry strived for quality publications and was pleased with the quality of the magazine.

Communications consultant Brian Gomez says the profile contains useful material and gives readers the global context of where PNG is.

“Some projects you won’t find on ASX (Australian Stock Exchange), you get good updates, mine-by-mine commentaries, petroleum, and INA’s commentary on the PNG economy,” he said.

05.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

A LOSS FOR THE CHURCH

By Aloysius Laukai

The United Church congregation will surely miss the late JONATHAN NGATI according to the United Church women’s representative MAGARETH KUKUPE.

She told the gathering during the funeral service that the late JONATHAN NGATI was a committed church man who contributed a lot to the new church building that the service was held.

The old United Church building has been taken over by NOAH MUSINGKU and his followers of U-Vistract.

MRS. KUKUPE said that the late NGATI had contributed to the development of the United church in the Siwai district.

The late JONATHAN NGATI was laid to rest at his village near Tonu yesterday.

05.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

JONATHAN LAID TO REST

By Aloysius Laukai

The former ABG minister for LLG under the first ABG House, the LATE JONATHAN NGATI was laid to rest yesterday after the ABG officially handed the body to the family and relatives on Saturday.

The late JONATHAN NGATI died at his village on Thursday morning.

The ABG assisted with the funeral arrangements as he was one of the pioneer ABG leaders.

ABG members present at the funeral service included the ABG President, DR. JOHN MOMIS, ABG Speaker, ANDREW MIRIKI, ABG PARLIAMENT CLEARK, ROBERT TAPI,the ABG Minister for Finance and Planing and Treasury and local member for Motuna Huyono Tokunutui,ALBERT PUNGHAU, the member for RAMU constituency THOMAS PATAAKU and the member for KOPI. PHILIP KUHENA.

Former combatants headed by the former BRA Commander, ISHMAEL TOROAMA also paid their last respect to their former colleague.

05.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MOMIS PAYS TRIBUTE

By Aloysius Laukai

The ABG President, DR. JOHN MOMIS last Saturday paid tribute to the late JONATHAN NGATI when he officially handed over the body of the late NGATI to his family at funeral service at the Tonu United Church in Siwai, South Bougainville.

DR. MOMIS said that the late JONATHAN NGATI was a man of principal and stood by his principal and fought to see that Bougainville achieved its goal that is Referendum and independence for Bougainville.

He said that JONATHAN had done his contribution and it was up to the people of Siwai to carry on from where he left.

The Late JONATHAN NGATI was one of the founders of the Bougainville hardliners group led by DAVID SISITO and was the Minister for Local Level Government in the ABG first house under the Late JOSEPH KABUI.

The late Jonathan Ngati was also instrumental in the visit by the former ABG President, JAMES TANIS to the Mekamui stronghold of Lukauko in the Konnou area in 2009.

ABG President DR. JOHN MOMIS also promised the people of Siwai that the ABG would be recognizing such leaders of Bougainville for their contribution to peace building on Bougainville.

05.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

LAWYERS LOSS FOR WORDS

By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville lawyer REUBEN SIARA was loss for words of describing the late JONATHAN NGATI.

He said that he found it difficult to describe the type of person the LATE JONATHAN NGATI was to the family and the people of Siwai and Bougainville.

MR. SIARA was talking on the life story of the late JONATHAN NGATI who he said was born to a Manus mother from Baluan island in the Manus Province.

He said that the late JONATHAN NGATI grew up with Chiefs as his Father new Pidgin and was appointed a Luluai during the colonial era.

He went to a mission school and graduated as a teacher and taught in many schools before he retired to go into politics.

The late Jonathan Ngati died at the age of 73.

He is survived by 8 children and several Grand children.

05.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

APPEAL TO PARENTS

By Aloysius Laukai

The CEO for Education division, BRUNO BABATO has appealed to the Parents and Citizens of students to look after their teachers who are already in their communities.

He was speaking at the start of the 2013 School year this morning.

MR. BABATO said that whilst teachers have been sent to schools in the communities, it was their responsibility to make sure that they are safe and not threatened by the communities.

He said if teachers face problems like stealing and other incidents he would not hesitate but withdraw his teachers.

MR. BABATO said that teachers are in the schools to educate our children and we must at all times look after them and their properties.

He said that it was the responsibility of the communities to make sure teachers need to Housing and other areas must be met by the communities.

05.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT PNG STARTED TODAY

By Aloysius Laukai

The 2013 school year officially commenced this morning with the CEO for Education on Bougainville warning teachers to show professionalism in their conduct of duties this year.

MR. BABATO in welcoming both Teachers and students to the 2013 school year called on the teachers to stay at their schools and not unnecessarily leave their classes when they are supposed to prepare their lessons and teach.

He said that many teachers in the past have left schools without proper authority and this should not happen this year.

MR. BABATO said that students are supposed to be taught by committed teachers as this was why they are paid.

He warned teachers who are not on their schools that they would be immediately put off the payroll.

05.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

DAISY ICE BLOCK BANNED

By Aloysius Laukai

The Buka urban Council which controls all market sales in Buka, Kokopau, Sohano, Kubu AND Hutjena has banned the sale of all T-Shake and Daisy Ice Blocks from all roadside markets and the main markets of Buka and Kokopau as of today.

Buka Urban Council controls the sale of Ice Blocks to make sure Ice Block sellers are licensed and are using clean water to prepare Ice blocks.

These items are controlled to make sure the sellers avoid spreading any water borne disease to their customers.

New Dawn FM understands that last year, when there was a break out of CHOLERA in the HAKU area of Buka island the Buka URBAN Council made a total ban of all cooked food at the markets and successfully made that the outbreak did not spread to other areas of Buka island..

05.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

AGRICULTURAL GRADUATES NEEDED

By Aloysius Laukai

The Productive Partnership in Agriculture Project which is a World Bank project aimed to increase cocoa Production in East New Britain and Bougainville is seeking graduates to apply for recruitment.

A service message on New Dawn FM says that successful applicants will be required to conduct Mini baseline surveys and Quarterly Data collections.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified Agricultural Graduates with a minimum qualification of a Diploma in Tropical Agriculture with at least three years experience and sound knowledge on cocoa farming.

Previous experience in surveys or census would be an extra bonus.

Applications must be sent to the DEPUTY PROJECT MANAGER, PPAP COCOA COMPONENT,

COCOA BOARD of PNG P.O.BOX 250, Buka.

Or DEPUTY PROJECT MANAGER PPAP COCOA COMPONENT on Fax Phone 9739117

Email at dpmbuka@ppap.cocoaboard.org.pg

05.02.2013

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

LEGAL YEAR OPENING

By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville will open the 2013 Legal year on Monday February 4th,2013.

The Opening of the 2013 Legal year would be staged at the Buka Town United Church starting TEN AM.

The National Court Judge for Bougainville, JUSTICE JOHN KAWI will be present at the ceremony of which all legal Fraternity would be present.

All officers from the Public Solicitors office, PARAKA Lawyers, TAMUSIO Lawyers and LATU Lawyers and Magistrates and Officers from the Buka Court House have been notified to attend.

New Dawn FM understands that every year the Legal year is opened with a church service to dedicate the service of the courts system to the creator.

Last year the Legal year service was held at the HAHELA Catholic Church on Buka Island.

04.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier Weekend

Denise is a lifeline in Buin

By DAVE LORNIE

DENISE Nukuitu, originally from Arawa, conducts a handy community service for the people of Buin in South Bougainville.

Denise has a BSP eftpos terminal which enables people to access cash outside of banking hours.

Buin has a BSP rural branch which operates during normal banking hours.

But there are many occasions when people need cash outside of those hours.

Denise, who operates Buin Inn, started up the service late last year.

She starts in the early hours and continues till eight, depending on demand.

She has to shut the machine off at 8pm to provide the daily reports to BSP but if people need emergency money late at night Denise will give them the money, hold their card and swipe it in the morning.

She has helped people in emergency situations, also.

“There was a car accident where someone died recently,” she said. “And there was a demand for K2000 (compensation). I was able to swipe for them and save a lot of trouble.”

Without the eftpos service, people would have to go to Arawa to use the BSP autoteller.

This costs K50 each way by PMV, so people are saving money by using Denise’s service.

She charges a small service fee but people are happy to pay for the convenience.

“People say to me ‘your pr is very good. With you, we story good’,” said Denise, laughing. “I also give them cold water!”

People come from as far away as Nagovis and Siwai to get money. Whilst Denise is not a registered agent yet, she has already filled out the forms and is waiting for her safe to be installed properly so she can be officially registered.

The Saturday market at Buin sees hundreds of people come from as far away as Kieta in Central Bougainville to buy goods. Thousands of kina exchange hands on that day so Denise is kept very busy.

04.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Mock Parliament for youths

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE Autonomous Region of Bougainville will be commemorating the Commonwealth Day by staging a mock Bougainville Youth Parliament in March this year.

Themed “Opportunity through Enterprise”, this year’s Commonwealth Day will be observed on March 11 at the Bel Isi Park in Buka town.

Youths from around Buka and Selau constituency in the northern tip of Bougainville have be selected to participate in the event.

The primary aim of the event is for the youths to familiarise themselves with the parliamentary chamber sittings.

They will also be participating in mock parliamentary procedures like the appointment of the clerk and his deputy, the election of the president and the vice president and the allocation of ministerial portfolios. 

The participating youths will be briefed on the roles and responsibilities they will play when the youth parliament convenes.

They will also be involved in the debate of make-up parliamentary bills. This will be the third time for Bougainville to observe this day by involving youths in a mock parliamentary session.

04.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Central Bougainville women leader collects data to help women

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

WOMEN’S representative for Central Bougainville in the Bougainville House of Representatives, Joan Jerome is currently collecting data of all women in her electorate.

The data collected will include the women’s status on how many of them are single mothers, divorced, widows and also how they are sustaining their marriages. This data collection will enable Ms Jerome to know the total number of women in Central Bougainville so she can include them in her five year plan.Women who became widows as a result of the crisis will also be considered for assistances in the five years plan.

The other purpose of the data collection is to find out the level of education of all the women in her area. The data collection exercise which started last year is nearing completion.

Sadly, Ms Jerome and her team had found out that there is a low level of education in most of the women already interviewed.

She said it is now best to introduce the adult literacy programs to improve these women’s standard of education.

The women leader said once all the data collection exercise is completed, she will then notify the Bougainville Education Board regarding the figures of women who are uneducated so the board can come up with means on how to address this issue.

Ms Jerome’s findings also reveal that in most rural areas, it is the women who are the sole income earners of the family through the selling of their cash crops.

She than proposed that in order to lessen the burden that women are currently facing, the Autonomous Bougainville Government should introduce a market for women to sell their produce.This will then prevent women from sitting long hours at the market whilst selling their produce. 

She is also calling on the Bougainville Division of Primary Industry to find ways and introduce large scale markets so that it will enable women to produce more and also sell more of their produce.

01.02.2013

Source: The National

Bougainville hopes for timely payment 

THE Bougainville education division hopes all schools in the region will receive the national government’s free tuition funding on time as they had provided bank and enrolment details late last year.

Chief executive officer Bruno Babato said almost all the schools had submitted necessary details so they could benefit from the free tuition fees.

“As far as our records are concerned, all schools have met the education department’s criteria and officers from the department would be visiting us next week to verify our claims,” Babato said.

He said a small number of schools did not receive their payments last year because of changes to bank accounts, which were not relayed to the department on time.

The division had rectified this and ensured all vital information was gathered from schools and sent to the department.

Babato said inspection by education officers to most schools found that most teachers in the region resumed classes this week, except for those in East New Britain who had been delayed by airport closure due to ash blown in from the Mt Tavurvur volcano.

Babato said the teachers had notified him that they would be arriving late.

He said there were more than 3,000 teachers posted to AROB and the main problem faced was accommodation.

01.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Miriki: AROB must be ready

By FABIAN GATANA

BOUGAINVILLEANS have been urged to start planning and preparing for the coming referendum.

Speaker of the Bougainville House of Representatives, Hon. Andrew Miriki, speaking at the launch of the Central Region Planning Alignment Workshop held in Panguna, said that with less than three years to go before the referendum, it was now time to seriously prioritise issues affecting the people and start implementing solutions.

The Speaker said many of the issues like health, education and infrastructure development were on-going and not new and he challenged participants at the workshop to plan well and deliver these basic services adding that it would be a big mistake if Bougainville members where not providing solutions.

He said Bougainville is working within a time limit and whether Bougainvilleans are ready or not they will go into the referendum to vote for the Autonomous Region’s future.

Minister for mining, lands and natural resources Hon. Michael Oni (pictured) said that for a long time the people of Central Bougainville have been seeking delivery of basic services and he urged participants at the workshop to set priorities that support Bougainville’s plans for the future.

The workshop, which began on Monday was purposely to plan, prioritise and budget for service delivery to districts in Central Bougainville in-line with data collected by district officers at the end of last year on issues affecting the districts.

01.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

Joint police, ex-combatant operation welcomed

By FABIAN GATANA

A JOINT police and former combatants operation in Central Bougainville to rid the region of illicit drugs and homebrewed alcohol is gathering favourable support from the community.

The operation which began on the 28th of December last year will continue till Central Bougainville is declared a homebrew and drug free zone.

Speaking from Panguna, former combatants operations commander Greg Busuai said that apart from confiscating home-brewing kits (pictured) and arresting marijuana traffickers and users, the joint operation task force is also taking an active educational roll in educating the public on the dangers of engaging in these activities.

Mr Busuai said since the inception of the operation, there is a greater feeling of guaranteed safety among the general public to move around freely and to conduct their daily business.

He said communities are beginning to realise the efforts of the operations and willingly assisting them with their job. 

Panguna district Youth Council chairman Noah Doko said illicit drugs and homebrew never were and are not a part of Bougainville culture and customs and the joint operation efforts is a way forward in laying the foundation for the future of Bougainville youth.

Mr Doko said these illegal activities emerged after the ten year civil crisis and many youths born during and after that time have an established mind-set that it is a norm.

Marijuana in PNG

He said the joint operation is a model example of two entities, the Bougainville police service and former combatants, working together for a common purpose.

He urged all stakeholders and Bougainville leaders to take this example and stand united to rectify Bougainville’s past and unite and work together towards the referendum.

Members of the community have indicated that since the commencement of the joint operations, there has been a noticeable decline in problems such as violence and disturbance associated with drugs and homebrew.

01.02.2013

Source: Post-Courier

A non-flying Dutchman

By DAVE LORNIE.

DUTCH adventurer John Van Westerlaak (pictured) was in Bougainville last week, as part of a trek around the world.

John, 43, started his adventure over two years ago, and travels only by land and cargo ships.

"I don't fly," he said with a wide smile. He is travelling on a low budget and air travel is very expensive.

John isn't worried about his financial future when he returns home. Back home in Holland, John was a railway safety consultant.

"My boss told me that when I come back I have a job waiting for me." John set out on his trek when he was 40, a time in life when many people feel like a change. And a change is what john is experiencing. He initially travelled through Europe, Africa, the Middle East, then entered Asia into Indonesia then Jayapura and across the Wutung border into Papua New Guinea.

He went by ship from Vanimo, to Madang, Lae, Rabaul, then Buka. From Buka he travelled by motor vehicle to Buin in Southern Bougainville. Post-Courier met him on Kangu beach as he was negotiating with Solomon Island traders for a passage to that country by dinghy.

John says he had enjoyed being in this country and has found the people very friendly and hospitable. He said. He is also amazed by the country's diverse culture. "Only six-million people and over 800 languages!" he exclaimed.

From the Solomons, John will find his way to North America to try and find work for a few months.

"I think I will have a better chance of getting work in Canada," he said. Then john will head back to Holland and slip back into his previous life, enriched by his travel experiences.

01.02.2013

Source: Radio New Zealand International

PNG ranked highest among Pacific countries

in Press Freedom Index

The Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders rates Papua New Guinea highest among the three Pacific island countries on the list.

It ranks PNG in 41st place, Tonga in 66th and Fiji in 107th place.

Top is Finland and bottom is Eritrea.

New Zealand is in place 8, Australia in 26.

Among the big powers, US is ranked 32nd, Russia 148th and China 173rd which is 7th from the bottom.