News 03.2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

31.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville Copper

CHOLERA PANIC
By Aloysius Laukai

New Dawn FM has been receiving calls from the public concerning not enough awareness concerning the Cholera outbreak in Lontis, Buka island.
They said that more awareness on prevention must be quickly carried out throughout Buka island and mainland Bougainville.
Chairman of the Cholera Task Force, PATRICK KOLES says that while the figures had risen to 65, the task force assures the communities that attendance at Lemanmanu health centre and at the advance medical post in Lontis had actually declined indicating the episode is now being controlled,” said Koles.
“The public is also advised that while there were reported cases at Hutjena and Gogohe, the public health team had actually acted very quickly and had sent these cases back to Lemanmanu were they had initially migrated from,” said Koles.
He added that CTF has already effected the following measures:
• Total ban on sale of cooked food and homemade ice block at public and road side markets,
• In relation to schools in affected areas, the task force feels there is no need to close down schools unless schools report any episode of diarrhea and
• The task force will conduct massive awareness among communities and encourage the school teachers to ensure school children receive the message on basic hygiene measures which is the most important factor in controlling cholera.
“Basically, the community must take ownership of their health by practicing basic hygiene rules,” said Koles.

 

31.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville Copper

MINING ISSUE
By Aloysius Laukai

ABG President Chief John Momis said that,Bougainville leaders were the first people in Papua New Guinea to be confronted with the difficult issue of allowing foreign exploitation and development of their resources.
He was speaking at the Mining Brainstorming workshop in Buka yesterday.
He said that Bougainvilleans were in a dependent position, which means important decisions were made for us in a belief that those decisions were to secure the best interest of the landowners, resource owners and the people at large.
Mr.Momis said that unlike today,we did not have too much access to expert information and knowledge to the difficult issue of mining.
He said that PNG and Australian government were looking for ways of convincing Australian Tax Payers and Papua New Guineans that it was time to have Independence.
And Pangunamine was obviously the resource that was perceived to bring great wealth or generate revenue for the government and thus relieve Australian colonial government of its responsibilities to provide goods and services to the people of Papua New Guinea.
He said that the people of Bougainville were never fully consulted and Bougainville’s leaders advice was ignored.
MR. MOMIS told those gathered that today is different and based on those past mistakes, Bougainville need to be well informed on which steps to take to develop the economy of Bougainville.

 

 

31.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville Copper

MARKET OPENING
By Aloysius Laukai

The long awaited opening of the Buka Town will happen tomorrow.

And according to the programme, speakers would include the Manageress of Buka Urban Council, BRENDA TOHIANA, The Regional member for Bougainville, FIDELIS SEMOSO, ABG President, Chief John Momis,
National Planning Minister, Paul Tiensten and the National Minister for Finance and Planning,PETER ONIEL.

The market would be opened by the National Planning Minister, PETER ONIEL.

New Dawn FM understands the Buka market upgrading was done for SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND KINA.

 

31.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville Copper

PIRIKA TO DELIVER
By Aloysius Laukai

The member for South Bougainville, STEVEN PIRIKA will officially deliver three Police vehicles to the Commander of South Bougainville Police, PAUL KAMUAI in Buin this Saturday.

The three vehicles will serve the three areas of Siwai, Buin and Bana districts.

The member made the announcement in Buin during the South Bougainville games at the end of last year.

Commander for South Bougainville Police Service, PAUL KAMUAI told New Dawn FM that the member’s contribution will greatly help the mobility of South Bougainville Police in attending to Law and order cases.

The three vehicles were bought for Three Hundred Thousand Kina.

New Dawn FM understands the former member for North Bougainville also bought vehicles for the Buka and Tinputz Police stations last year.

 

 

31.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Aust to help rebuild Bougainville
By GORETHY KENNETH

AUSTRALIA stands ready to assist and rebuild Bougainville as it had been since the crisis broke out in 1989.
But before Australia does just that, Bougainville will have to provide specific requests or projects to the Australian Government on priority or urgent areas that needs immediate financial help.
Over the last 10 years Bougainville has been receiving direct funding from the people of Australia through the Australian Government’s AusAID program valued at more than K500 million since 1997.
Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Richard Marles said in Arawa yesterday that Australia was ready to help Bougainville but leaders needed to provide the specific request in order for assistance to flow.
Mr Marles made three commitments of over K1 million to the people of Bougainville, they are K700,000 for the Bougainville Police Service, K60,000 to fight the cholera outbreak and K250,000 for the Koromira Technical School.
On top of that, Australia is funding the Trunk Road maintenance of Arawa at K7 million and helping to rebuild Arawa on a need basis.
Mr Marles, who was pleased to be in Bougainville, singled out the relations his father had in colonial war era.
He said his visit was to see how the Australian aid was helping Bougainvilleans, where they could help more and how the relationship between Australia and Bougainville could be further progressed.
“We are here on Bougainville to show the significance of our commitment to the people of Bougainville.
“Australia is ready to assist Bougainville but we need to have the specific issues needed to be addressed in order to assist.
“I guess we are interested in specific projects we can participate in,” Mr Marles said in Arawa.
He said Australia had helped in building the capacities of the public servants, the Bougainville Public Service, the health sector, education and the weapons disposal program.
Mr Marles visit to Arawa was very significant as he arrived in Buka on an Australian Defence plane accompanied by his team from Canberra, Australian High Commissioner to PNG Ian Kemish and his officers on the ground. He was well received by the people of Kieta, Koromira and Arawa. Marles also met with Panguna landowners executives and hosted a dinner for all the ex-combatants, the Panguna landowners and women of Arawa.

 

31.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier - The Drum

what a coincidence

Funny how things turn out. Former Prime Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu was this month appointed to the Board of Bougainville Copper. Sir Rabbie was PM when the bloody crisis started over issues with BCL. Now there is talk of the mine reopening...co-incidence?

 

 

31.03.2011
Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat

Bougainville consultations on mine re-opening set to widen

Bougainville has witnessed another milestone in its peace process with a reconciliation ceremony between the President of the Autonomous Government, John Momis, and the landowners from the six lease areas around the Panguna mine. The ceremony has set the stage for wider consultations on re-starting mining operations.

Presenter: Jemima Garrett
Speaker: Patrick Nisira, Bougainville's Vice President

Listen here!

GARRETT: Discussions on the re-opening of the Rio Tinto owned Panguna copper mine have picked up pace in the last few months.

The man on the frontline for the Bougainville Autonomous government is Vice President Patrick Nisira.

He believes the re-opening of the Panguna Mine could be as significant for his government as it was for the Papua New Guinea government in the lead-up to its independence in 1975.

 

NISIRA: Since December last year there have been big movements between the Autonomous Bougainville government engaging with the Panguna landowners and people surrounding the Panguna copper mine because we believe very much that Panguna will play a crucial role in the recovery of the autonomous government . As we all know, in the 1970s the Panguna copper mine was the only mining operation in Papua New Guinea at that time. The Panguna copper mine then got PNG independence since it became operational. We believe the Panguna copper mnine can also do the same for our fledgling Autonomous region so with that in mind the President directed me to engage with the people of Panguna and meaningfully involve the people there, especially the left wing organisations and the former combatants and the Panguna landowners.

 

GARRETT: Bougainville is heavily dependent on financial assistance from Australia and from the Papua New guinea government.

Vice President Nisira is grateful for that assistance but he says it cannot go on forever.

 

NISIRA: We appreciate the goodwill of international donors but as we, as Bougainvilleans, we believe we can once again walk tall. And to walk tall, as a people, we have to drag away from this dependency that we are currently at the moment. So the President has directed me to move into Panguna and tell all the people there, talk to them, get them to understand the importance of Panguna in the peacekeeping process. Because of Panguna, Bougainville went down the drain and we believe that if we can fix Panguna, if we can stabilise Panguna, we can help Bougainville on its two feet again.

 

GARRETT: The reconciliation ceremony between Bougainville President John Momis and Panguna landowners, last Friday, means the consultations on re-opening the mine can gear up a notch.

Vice President Nisira says that after many months the six Panguna landowning groups have agreed to work together.

 

NISIRA: There is really great movement now. In our consultation the people want the mine to be open. There is some hesitation from former combatants who really feel we should engage them too, but within the next 3 weeks.. We have consulted with the people of Panguna, we have engaged the Mekamui, they are formally in the process now. Within the next few weeks we will be holding three big forums: one in North Bougainville preferably in Buka, one in Central Bougainville earmarked for Arawa, and one in South Bougainville. I think it will be scheduled, maybe, in Siwai. At these public forums we will gauge the Bougainville people's view on mining, on re-opening of mining. Today the official ABG position is not yet to re-open the mine. We still await the thoughts of the landowners, the ex-combatants and also the people of Bougainville to speak out through these Forums and then after this consultation with our people, ABG will be able to make a formal announcement on the re-opening of the Bougainville copper mine.

 

 

30.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

K500,000 needed to contain outbreak
By JOYCE TOHUI

THE Bougainville Cholera Task Force needs half a million kina to fight the cholera outbreak in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
Chairman of the task force, Patrick Koles revealed this on Monday afternoon during a press conference with the media in Buka.
He said that AusAID had given K10,000 in total under the Governance Implementation Fund (GIF) to help the task force with its planned programs to address the issue while the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) had allocated K50,000 from the ABG budget to help with treatment.
Mr Koles said that the National Government would also help Bougainville through the Health Department with some funding to help contain the cholera outbreak.
Meanwhile the task force is carrying out awareness in schools in the affected areas of the Haku constituency to inform students and make them aware of the situation in the area.
Children from 10 to 15 years old are being affected.
Also the Bougainville Cholera Task Force has imposed a total ban on the sale of cooked and home-made ice block in markets throughout Bougainville.
He appealed to the people of Bougainville not to panic, however, they must practice good hygiene in their homes.

 

30.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Practise basic hygiene’
By JOYCE TOHUI

THE outbreak of cholera in Lontis Village, Buka Island in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ABG) has been confirmed.
The result of the samples of stools sent to the Central Public Laboratory in Port Moresby last week confirmed the cholera.
Chairman of the Bougainville Cholera Task Force, Patrick Koles on Monday confirmed the outbreak in the Haku constituency.
He told a press conference in Buka on Monday afternoon that a total of 65 patients had been treated with two confirmed deaths. There were no deaths reported.
He said that most of the cases that were treated had mild symptoms of diarrhoea. He said most of them received treatment and were discharged while 15 of the reported cases required admission to the health centre for fluid replacement with IV fluids.
Mr Koles said those worst hit were children between 10-15 year old school children and most cases revealed that more girls were affected as women and children of that age group were doing a lot of work in the villages.
He said however that health authorities moved quickly into the area and managed to contain the situation before it got out of control.
He said that while the figures had risen to 65, the task force assures the community that attendances at Lemanmanu Health Centre and the advanced medical posts had declined and was under control.
Similar cases have been reported in the Hagogohe area and the Hutjena however health workers have already moved into the area to help contain the situation.
The task force would conduct awareness and encourage school teachers to ensure students got the message on basic hygiene measures.
Mr Koles appealed strongly to the public to take ownership of their health by practicing basic hygiene rules.

 

 

30.03.2011
Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat

Bougainville consultations on mine re-opening set to widen

Last Friday, Bougainville witnessed another milestone in its peace process - a reconciliation ceremony between the President of the Autonomous Government of Bougainville, John Momis, and the landowners from the six mine lease areas around the Panguna mine.

That ceremony has set the stage for wider consultations on the re-opening of the mine.

 

Presenter: Jemima Garrett

Speaker: Bougainville's Vice President Patrick Nisira

 

Listen here !

 

GARRETT: The reconciliation ceremony between Bougainville President John Momis and Panguna landowners, last Friday, means the consultations on re-opening the mine can gear up a notch.

Vice President Nisira says that after many months the six Panguna landowning groups have agreed to work together.

 

NISIRA: There is really great movement now. In our consultation the people want the mine to be open. There is some hesitation from former combatants who really feel we should engage them too, but within the next 3 weeks.. We have consulted with the people of Panguna, we have engaged the Mekamui, they are formally in the process now. Within the next few weeks we will be holding 3 big forums: one in North Bougainvlle preferably in Buka, one in Central Bougainville earmarked for Arawa, and one in South Bougainville. I think it will be scheduled, maybe, in Siwai. At these public forums we will gauge the Bougainville people's view on mining, on re-opening of mining. Today the official ABG position is not yet to re-open the mine. We still await the thoughts of the landowners, the ex-combatants and also the people of Bougainville to speak out through these Forums and then after this consultation with our people, ABG will be able to make a formal announcement on the re-opening of the Bougainville copper mine.

 

30.03.2011
Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat

Bougainville on course for independence referendum

Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Richard Marles, says he gets a strong sense that the Bougainville peace process is on track and that conditions will be right for a referendum on independence when the target date is reached.

He is on an official visit to Papua New Guinea and Bougainville, where he's held talks with the president of the autonomous region, John Momis.

And Mr Marles says it's vital for PNG and the whole region, that the terms of the peace deal are adhered to, as a fitting tribute to the 15 thousand people who lost their lives during the civil war in the 1990s.

 

Presenter: Richard Ewart

Speaker: Richard Marles, Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs

 

 

Listen here !

 

30.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

KOROMIRA BENEFIT
By Aloysius Laukai

The St. Gregory Technical High School, Koromira yesterday benefitted from another donation from Australia totaling TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND KINA.

And this was announced by the Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Affairs, RICHARD MARLES at the ground-breaking ceremony in Koromira yesterday afternoon.

The ceremony was witnessed by ABG the member for Central Bougainville in the National Parliament, JIMMY MIRINGTORO,ABG Minister for Finance, ALBERT PUNGHAU and the veterans Affairs Minister, DAVID SISITO.

According to the school’s principal, MR. MIHEN this would be the 3rd time the school has received assistance from Australia through its aid agency Ausaid.

MR. MIHEN said that earlier Ausaid had contributed with the Workshop building and a Generator worth more than ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINA.

Yesterday, MR. MARLES Scooped the first soil at the site the new Science Lab will be built.

 

 

30.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

Pictured is the RAAF Plane that brought the Australian Delegation to Buka and back.
Picture by Aloysius Laukai

 

 

30.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

AUS SUPPORT
By Aloysius Laukai

Australia has responded positively to requests made by the ABG President John Momis in Australia last month.

The visiting Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific States, RICHARD MARLES told reporters in Arawa last night that Australia is ready to assist Bougainville if requests for prioritized specific projects are made by the ABG.

He said that Australia has long relationship with Bougainville going back to world war 2.

MR. MARLES also announced approved funds for certain projects on Bougainville.

For the Cholera outbreak at Lontis village, Buka island they have approved SIXTY THOUSAND KINA including the TEN THOUSAND KINA already used for helping in containing the situation.

For the St. Gregory Technical School in Koromira they would give TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND KINA for the school’s Science lab.

AND another SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND KINA has been approved for the Bougainville Police Service’s Housing Project.

Richard Marles and his delegation over-nighted in Arawa and returned to Australia this morning.

 

Pictured is Richard Marles digging the first soil out for the Science Lab.
Abg Minister for finance Albert Punghau is at his side.

Picture by Aloysius Laukai

 

30.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

‘Include women’
By JOYCE TOHUI

MEMBER for Selau in the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Terry Mose has challenged the members elected to the village assemblies in his constituency to include women in their work.
He said village assemblies is the government of the people on the ground and the views of women must be included in their decision making.
He said the views of women must be considered as they are also chiefs in their clans.
Mr Mose said as Bougainville is a dominantly matrilineal society, women must be recognised and urged the village assembly members to work closely with the people.
Meanwhile an officer from the Local Level Government, Sione Nash told the people of Selau that his division was happy with the progress they have made so far to appoint their village assembly members.

 

 

30.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Aust to help ABG combat cholera

AUSTRALIA will provide K60,000 to respond to a cholera outbreak in Bougainville.
The Department of Health in PNG has confirmed that two people from Lontis village have died from cholera.
In response to a request for assistance, AusAID will provide K10,000 in initial funding to the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Division of Health for fuel for emergency supplies and non-medical supplies such as disinfectant, buckets and mops.
The remaining K50,000 will fund urgent maintenance of the Lemanmanu Health Centre, which is the closest clinic to the outbreak.
This funding will repair the generator, and upgrade water and sanitation facilities.
An AusAID adviser is also working closely with the ABG Division of Health to assist in the response.
AusAID officials in Bougainville have already assured the Autonomous Bougainville Government that Australia was ready to help. Australia has provided approximately K5.5 million to assist Papua New Guinea respond to cholera outbreaks in eight provinces, including for procurement of oral rehydration salts and technical support for co-ordination surveillance and response.
The funding for this latest assistance package is being sourced from the Governance Implementation Fund, which is a joint initiative between Australia, New Zealand and the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

 

 

30.03.2011
Source: ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation - 24H dans le PACIFIQUE

UN CHOIX DE FAÇON IMPASSIBLE

À l’occasion de sa visite d’une journée dans la région autonome de Bougainville en Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée, l’ambassadeur américain, Teddy Taylor, a déclaré que l’accès à l’indépendance ou le maintien du statut d’autonomie de Bougainville est une décision qui appartient au peuple de Bougainville. Toutefois, a-t-il souligné : « Les gens devront regarder [la situation] sans trahir d’émotion car si vous devenez une nation indépendante, comment allez-vous générer des revenus pour soutenir votre indépendance ? » L’ambassadeur s’est positionné en faveur de la réouverture de la mine de Panguna pour reconstruire l’économie de cette région. Rappelons que le mécontentement des propriétaires fonciers concernant le partage des revenus de cette mine a mis le feu aux poudres et déclenché 10 ans de guerre civile. Un accord de paix a ensuite été signé avec la Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée. Cet accord prévoit un référendum sur l’autonomie ou l’indépendance entre 2015 et 2020.

 

 

29.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Swearing in of VA members completed
By JOYCE TOHUI

 

Swearing in ceremonies of the members from the four Village Assemblies in the Selau constituency have successfully been completed.

The VA members from the SIARA, HANTOA, SOROM and RAPOMA were sworn in starting from last week and ended yesterday with the RAPOMA ceremony.

During the swearing in ceremonies, Member for Selau, TERRY MOSE called on the people of his constituency to support the elected VA leaders.

He urged the VA members to have the courage and commitment to help the people of SELAU.

MR MOSE assured the VA leaders that he will work closely with them to serve the people.

And he appealed to everyone to support each other and put efforts together and work for the common good of the people.

 

29.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Cholera needs half a million kina
By JOYCE TOHUI

 

The Bougainville Cholera task force needs half a million kina to fight the outbreak of cholera in Bougainville.

Chairman of the task force, PATRICK KOLES revealed this yesterday afternoon during a press conference in Buka.

He told the media conference that AUSAID has given ten thousand kina under (GIF) Governance and Implementation Fund, also ABG has put out fifty thousand kina in its budget to help the task force carry out its planned programs.

He said that the task force has already started awareness into schools in the affected areas of Haku.

MR KOLES said that there was awareness already carried before and now they are continuing again.

He also said that the National Government will also help with some funding through the National Department of Health to help contain the spread of cholera in the region.

He however called on the people of Bougainville not to panic as the episode is now controlled.

 

 

29.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

IT’S ATOLLS TIME
By Tom Kathoa

The people of North Bougainville are being urged to support a candidate from the Atolls in this by-election.
Special mention is being made for candidate, LOUTA ATOI to be the new member for North Bougainville in place of Mr. Michael Ogio who is now Papua New Guinea’s Governor General.
Mr. Lauta is being supported by the New Bougainville Party (NBP) headed by the President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), Hon Chief John Momis.
Mr. Atoi was the first Papua New Guinean to play international rugby league in Australia and is also a successful businessman.
It is high time the people of the mainland of North Bougainville support the Atolls people by mandating one of their sons, Mr. Atoi to lead the region and be their representative at the national parliament.
This by election is a great opportunity for the people to do this by voting for Mr. Atoi.
His election victory would not be a win for the Atolls people only, but for the region and Bougainville in general as a whole.
Mr. Atoi’s campaign team has been to Tinputz, Kohin in the Solos area, Halia on awareness and campaigned at Haku this week.
The team will now be moving into other areas as of this week.
Meanwhile, a one week polling program would begin on the fourteenth to the twentieth of May with election writs to be returned on the 10th of June 2011.
Every eligible voter is asked to exercise his/her right by voting in the coming election.
Remember your vote is very valuable and you must not waste it.
The Autonomous Region of Bougainville is progressing towards referendum and eventual independence and therefore your votes for a good leader is a must.

 

 

29.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

CHOLERA VS ELECTION CAMPAIGN
By Tom Kathoa

The conformation of the presence of CHOLERA disease in some areas of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is of great concern to the election campaign.
Chairman of the Bougainville Cholera Task Force, Mr. Patrick Koles said the disease has already been confirmed in the Haku, Hagogohe and Tsitalato constituencies.
Reports reaching New Dawn say a 19 year old girl from Suhin Village in the Hagogohe Constituency is the latest victim of Cholera.
Meanwhile, candidates and their campaign managers are taking every precaution when going about their campaign.
These candidates cannot provide food to their supporters openly as in the past elections due to fear of the spread of the disease.
Health Authorities and the Bougainville Cholera Task Force are appealing to people to wash their hands while preparing food and before taking their meals.
Special appeal is for mothers to look after their children.
Elementary and Primary Schools in the Hagogohe Constituency were empty as many students stayed home following news of the presence of Cholera in their area.
It was earlier reported that there were three cases of cholera in the area and the news caused many to stay home yesterday to clean their homes and build toilets.

 

29.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

CAMPAIGN HEATS UP
By Tom Kathoa

Campaigning by candidates for the North Bougainville Open Seat By-election has begun in earnest.
At the close of nominations yesterday, a total of twenty-one candidates have nominated to
Contest the by election caused by the elevation of the former member for North Bougainville, Mr. Michael Ogio to the Vice Regal position or Governor General of Papua New Guinea.
Among the twenty-one candidates are, five former ABG Members including former Vice President in the last government, Ezekiel Massat.
Mr. Massat has resigned from his Tonsu Constituency Seat last month to run for the vacant North Bougainville Open Electorate seat.
Other former ABG Members are, Joseph Watawi who was former Vice President to the late president, Joseph Kabui, Pais Taihu, Marceline Getsi Laris and Lawrence Kabul Belleh.
While candidates Joseph Watawi, Marceline Getsi and Taihu Pais lost their seats during the second ABG Election last year, Candidate Lawrence Belleh did not defend his Peit Constituency seat.
A medical officer, Dr. Joseph Velosi Poten and two former senior public servants in Mr. George Manu and Charry Napto are also vying for the vacant post.
Bougainville’s film actor and play-writer, Albert Toro is also putting his claim for the job.

 

29.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Upgrade Tech
by Aloysius Laukai

The principal of the Gregory vocational school,GLEN MIEN this afternoon welcomed the Australian delegation into his school.

in his welcome remarks, MR. MIEN said that the school was fortunate to get assistance from the people of Australia through Ausaid to improve the capacity of education facitilities on the island.

He said this was not the first time the school has received such assistance from the people of Australia through their aid organization ausaid.
He said that the school was priviledged to get such a visit from the Parliamentary Secretary and his team which included the High Commissioner to PNG, Ian Kemish and also the ABG Finance minister ALBERT PUNGHAU

 

 

29.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Marles in Arawa
by Aloysius Laukai in Arawa

The Australian Parliamentary Secretary Pacific Affairs, Richard Marles and delegation today visited Arawa in Central Bougainville.

They arrived from Buka on a chartered Helicopter and were welcomed in Arawa by students from the Tupukas Primary School in Arawa.

After lunch they visited the St. Gregory Vocational Centre and officiated at the ground breaking ceremony of a Science lab to be built by Ausaid at this school.

The science lab is to cost TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND KINA,

The team then saw the now abandoned Aropa Airport before driving through Arawa Town.

They also visited the Loloho wharf and saw the activities happening there with the scrap metal business.

They are having dinner in Arawa tonight.

 

 

29.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Me’ekamui insists on proper burial
By GORETHY KENNETH

The Me’ekamui tribal government says it wants responsible governments to pay K40 million for the proper burial of the 20,000 lives lost during the 1989 war.
The Me’ekamui government, headed by Philip Miriori, and supported by Raymond Hakena, Thomas Rabanz and others, held a press conference in Buka yesterday to announce their grievance.
Miriori, younger brother of late Francis Ona, said the mine can re-open but not until a proper burial of all the lives lost is done. He called on the Bougainville, PNG and Australian governments to immediately address and begin the negotiations to do this but wants the process to start in three months.
“Until all political leaders sign, endorse and support our human rights declaration, our ability to proceed with economic growth will remain tarnished,” Mr Miriori said.
“This is a curse and the ABG has to seriously address this because if we do not address this, nothing will work out. This proper burial, I am asking the PNG Government and Australia to come in because this is no longer our own issue.
“As the president of the Me’ekamui tribal government I must now share with all of you of my fellow Bougainvilleans the cause that has been mandated for us to take by our culture, our heritage and our tribal constitution which was there from the beginning.
“The Me’ekamui are designing a living memorial to all of our brave and courageous souls who have sacrificed their lives during the human rights struggle.
“The 15 to 20,000 lives who fought so our human rights would be protected deserve our recognition and the recognition of all nations of the world. From the bottom of my heart and soul and with every fibre of my being, I ask you all for your support.”

 

29.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Florists tour Buka
By Alex Munme

FLOWERS are normally considered valueless and good for decoration and beautification compared to cocoa, copra and other cash crops.
But that concept will soon be an idea of the past according to florists Bertha Kamit and Louisa Setavo, who are currently in Bougainville.
Mrs Kamit is manager of East New Britain Women and Youth in Agriculture and Mrs Setavo is president of Warangoi Corporative Society in floriculture, taro-culture and agriculture. Mrs Kamit has been in the industry since 2007 when it was launched in Port Moresby.
The two experts in the floriculture are in Buka on an invitation from Alma Getsi from Malasang village and are hosting courses on the industry. The first of a series of courses was held this week in Buka and the next one to be held at Malasang village on Saturday.
Mrs Kamit said there are many reasons why we should plant and look after flowers. “We need flowers for beautification, weddings, funerals, graduations and so on but above all it is now a recognised commercial commodity.”
She said floriculture is a business and her trip here is on her sister’s invitation, an opportunity to share the knowledge with her and other Bougainvilleans to promote and extend the industry.
The course will cover planting and managing, flower knowledge, flower arrangement and other topics.

 

 

29.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Cholera in Bougainville
By GORETHY KENNETH

TESTS in Port Moresby have confirmed a cholera epidemic in Bougainville, particularly the northern tip of Buka Island.
Already 65 cases have been treated at the Lemanmanu medical command post.
Fifteen cases required admission and have already been treated and discharged. The death toll still stands at two but the disease has spread across Gogohe and Hutjena and those affected were sent back to Haku, where the disease started.
The Cholera Task Force is now looking at strict measures to contain the epidemic from causing more deaths and to further prevent it from spreading all over Bougainville.
The age group most affected are between the ages of 10-15 year olds and most cases reported revealed that more girls are affected.
Chairman of the Cholera Task Force in Bougainville Patrick Koles announced yesterday that tough measures had been handed down and they are seeking legal clarification on certain issues like quarantine, closure of schools and others. But the task force made decisions today which include:
* A total ban on cooked food, and homemade iceblock.
* In relation to schools in affected areas, the task force felt that there is no need to close down schools unless schools report diarrhoea cases.
* The task force also made a decision to conduct a massive awareness among communities and encouraged school teachers to ensure students get the message on basic hygiene measures which is the most important factor to controlling cholera.
“While the figures had risen from 65, the task force wants to assure the community that attendances at Lemanmanu Health Centre and at the advanced medical posts had actually declined indicating the outbreak was under control,” Mr Koles said.
More reports will be detailed this week.

 

 

29.03.2011
Source: The National

Task force confirms cholera cases in Bougainville
By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

BOUGAINVILLE cholera task force (CTF) has confirmed cholera is now in the autonomous region after stool samples form the area were tested positive at the Port Moresby General Hospital patho­logy laboratory.
Sixty-five people from the Haku constituency had been treated and discharged with two deaths reported.
Bougainville CTF chairman Patrick Koles yesterday said that of the 65 cases, 15 required admission to the Lemanmanu health centre for IV fluid replacement and had been discharged.
“While the figures have risen to 65, the task force assures the communities that attendance at Lemanmanu health centre and at the advance medical post in Lontis had actually declined indicating the outbreak is now being controlled,” Koles said.
He added that the group most affected, according to statistics, was between the ages of 10 and 15 and the majority of cases were females which Koles said was not unusual as women and children of these age group were responsible for most of the chores at home.
“The public is also advised that while there were reported cases at Hutjena and Gogohe, the public health team had acted very quickly and had sent these cases back to Lemanmanu were they had migrated from,” Koles said.
He added that the task force had put into effect a total ban on sale of cooked food and home-made iceblocks at public and roadside markets and is planning to conduct an awareness programme among the communities and schools to observe basic hygiene measures which were the most important factors in controlling the spread of cholera.
“Basically, the community must take ownership of their health by practising basic hygiene rules,” Koles said.
The task force informed the schools to remain open unless there were reports of diarrhoea.

 

29.03.2011
Source: The National

Aussie rep on island affairs tours Bougainville
By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

AUSTRALIA parliamentary secretary for Pacific Islands Affairs Richard Marles arrived in Bougainville yesterday for a three-day official tour.
The visit follows an invitation from Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) President John Momis during his visit to Australia last month to seek financial aid for the next three to five years which included;
* A$50 million (K131.8 million) to assist and restore Arawa as the economic hub and service delivery centre for Central Bougainville and also as the administrative capital of Bougainville,
* A$3 million (K7.9 million) to  engage experts to help the ABG in its options of mining in Bougainville; and
* A$2 million (K5.2 million) per year over the next five years to resettle Carteret and other atoll islanders on mainland Buka and Bougainville.
Marles said he would have further discussions on ABG’s request for assistance during his courtesy call to Momis today before the Australian delegation, including Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish, departs for Arawa.
“We are here on principle, to see progress of the Bougainville peace agreement to which Australia was a key participant to the achievement of this very important document.
“We will meet with ABG and the national government to get their sense of how they have progressed in ensuring the agreement is followed,” Marles said.
During his stay in Bougainville, Marles will also meet with ABG Mining Minister Michael Oni and Bougainville ACP Thomas Eluh.
He will also officiate at the ground breaking ceremony for Koromira Technical High School in Kieta after meeting with ABG Primary Industry Minister  Nicholas Daku and Central Bougainville leaders.

 

 

28.03.2011
Source: Australian Government

 

Australia reinforces commitment to a better Bougainville
Media release

 

28 March 2011

 

Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Richard Marles will visit Papua New Guinea, including Bougainville, from 28-31 March.

 

This will be Mr Marles first visit to Bougainville as Parliamentary Secretary and he will meet with the Autonomous Bougainville Government President (ABG), John Momis, and key members of the ABG to discuss the Bougainville peace process and related issues.

 

"This visit is an opportunity to reinforce our commitment to helping Bougainville to get back on its feet after so many troubled years," said Mr Marles.

 

In Port Moresby Mr Marles will meet with PNG Ministers and attend a roundtable on the National Advisory Committee on Disability.

 

Mr Marles will visit Port Moresby General Hospital and tour the PNG Eye Care clinic.

 

The Parliamentary Secretary will visit Papua New Guinea's Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project in the Southern Highlands and reinforce Australia's commitment to supporting the project.

 

Australia's support to the PNG LNG project includes providing advice on the establishment of sovereign wealth funds and the modelling required to assess the project's likely impact on PNG's economy.

 

Discussions during the visit will also progress the agreement between Australia and PNG to reposition the aid program to give priority to education and health, transport and law and justice.

 

 

28.03.2011
Source: Radio New Zealand International

Bougainville woman MP says reserved seats have changed attitudes

 

A politician in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville, Elizabeth Burain says special women’s seats in parliament have helped change attitudes and represent a victory for women.

Ms Burain was elected last year to one of Bougainville’s three reserved women’s seats, brought in under the constitution in 2004.

She’s told a gathering of Pacific women politicians in Wellington that the special seats have meant it’s increasingly recognised that women take on public roles.

She says the MPs are now spearheading a move to have women contest all thirty three open constituencies at the next election.

“That’s our aim. We are leading this move and hopefully in the next house we will maybe have a quarter or half of the population inside the house of representatives”

 

 

28.03.2011

 

New Job on Bougainville !  Click here !

 

 

28.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

RICHARD MARLES IN BUKA

 

Picture of the students from Hutjena Secondary school pictured dancing to welcome HON Richard Marles
All Pictures by Aloysius Laukai

 

 

Picture of Richard Marles and ABG Vice President Patrick Nisira(left)
(Far left ABG protocol Officer P Kiha and in the middle is the ABG Finance Minister Albert Punghau)

 

28.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MARLES IN BUKA
By Aloysius Laukai

the Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, RICHARD MARLES MP arrived in Buka this afternoon for a three-day visit to Bougainville.

He was met at the Buka airport by the ABG Vice President PATRICK NISIRA and the Administrator of Bougainville, LAWRENCE DISIN.
and members of the Bougainville Administration.

A traditional welcome was perfomed by students from the Hutjena Secondary School.

In welcoming MR. MARLES at the airport, Vice President, PATRICK NISIRA thanked Australia for its continuous support to Bougainville through its aids programs provided by Ausaid and for Australia's contribution to re-establish peace and normalcy on Bougainville by contributing to the Peace Keeping Mission on Bougainville.

In Response, MR. MARLES thanked the students for their warm welcome and said that Australia has long history starting from during the world war 2 and most recently its mining interest on the island.

The ABG President John Momis is hosting a official dinner for Hon Richard Marles and his delegation at the Kuri village resort this evening.

 

 

28.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

NOMINATION CLOSE
By Aloysius Laukai

Nominations for the North Bougainville By-election closed this afternoon with a total of TWENTY ONE candidates nominating.

The final names after the close of nominations are as follows,
George Manu, Justin Helele, Lauta Atoi, Albert Toro,Joseph Watawi, Michael Hamon Ross, Dr. Joe Poten Vilosi, Marchellin Getsi Laris, Joseph Gatana, Damian Kora, Clarence Kosun,Peter Mactobara, Lawrence Kabul Belleh, Charry Napto, Syslvester Niu, Pais Taehu, Joseph Baito, Rachel Opeti Konaka, Ezekiel Masatt, Donald Hamau, Professor Matabuna Tahun.

Campaigning will be carried out in the next two weeks.

Polling commences from May 14th to May 20th, 2011.

And counting will begin immediately after May 20th, 2011.

Writs will be returned on June 10th, 2011.

 

 

28.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ORDER OF DRAW
By Aloysius Laukai

 

As usual order of draw was done this afternoon after the close of nominations.

And this would be the numbers candidates would be listed under in the official ballot box.

Ezekiel Masatt would be number TEN
Justin Helele Number ELEVEN
Albert Toro Number 12
Joseph Watawi 13
Donal Hamau 14
Lauta Atoi 15
Professor Matabuna Tahun 16
Michael Hamon Ross 17
Marchelline Getsi Laris 18
Joseph Gatana 19
DR. Joe Poten Vilosi 20
Damian Kora 21
Clarence Kosun 22
George Manu 23
Rachel Opeti Konaka 24
Joseph Baito 25
Pais Taehu 26
Sylvester Niu 27
Charry Napto 28
Peter Mactobara 29
Lawrence Kabul Belleh 30

 

 

28.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Govt, ABG aim to sign agreement
By GORETHY KENNETH

THE National Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government are aiming to sign the Panguna Mine Heads of Agreement by end of November 2011.
Bougainville Affairs and Trade Minister, also Regional MP Fidelis Semoso announce recently in Panguna and Arawa during his meetings with rebel hardliners that he plans to have responsible authorities sign the Panguna Heads of Agreement by November 2011.
ABG vice president Patrick Nisira also told the Post Courier it is possible to sign the HOA in November and if that is the plan by the National Government, ABG is in full support and would work together to implement it. Nisira was speaking at the reconciliation ceremony between ABG president John Momis and the representatives from the Panguna landowners in Buka last Friday.
The HOA is part of the four steps agreed during the recent Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting, and is the last of the four to set the pace for the beginning of the review of the Bougainville Copper Agreement.
The steps include social mapping, environmental impact study, baseline survey and eventually the HOA.
“I want the Heads of Agreement by November 2011. By doing this, it basically means we can now begin the Bougainville Copper Agreement review,” Mr Semoso said in Arawa.
“Basically the issue means that we will commence the review of the Bougainville Copper Agreement once the HOA is signed....the heads of agreement will decide...it’s like a playing field. It will decide what is inside and what is outside.
“Bougainville, we are not like other provinces, Bougainville we have a time limit, we don’t have the time anymore. We don’t have time to waste.
“As the National Minister responsible I want to make sure we get the heads of agreement signed by November 2011.
“The National Government is fully committed and I want to see the HOA fully complied with.
“I believe all these things can be done in three months but only if the responsible authorities like the ABG, National Government and basically the PNG and Bougainville Mining Divisions work together to make this happen.
“I am sure if we all work together we can actually achieve this ... That’s an issue I want to discuss with Ishmael (Toroama), Chris (Uma) and Moses Pipiro.
“I am now issuing a challenge to the ABG, and specifically the Department of Geohazard and Mining plus the Mining Division in Bougainville to progress the resolution.
“The onus is now on the technocrats with the drive from the responsible leadership.
“The people of Bougainville don’t need an open ended negotiations. The process of the review is very important and the people need to be fully informed on what is happening. I am more concerned about the review and focus on when the first gold will be produced,” he said.

 

28.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Semoso puts foot down on ‘influx’
By GORETHY KENNETH

PAPUA New Guinea’s Bougainville Affairs and Trade Minister Fidelis Semoso has put his foot down against the uncontrolled influx of foreign businesses into Bougainville, specifically Buka.
The regional MP for Bougainville, Semoso has cautioned the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) against allowing well established businesses to operate in the region especially in Buka. He has called on the ABG to better manage the influx of large business companies.
Semoso’s caution comes after a well established Asian company (named) set up its offices and constructed billboards all over Buka, Kokopau, Arawa and in Buin. “As a young Bougainvillean leader I will not allow this to happen. I will not allow such large businesses to come in and take over businesses that struggling local businessmen are currently in. If they want to come in, they come in as partners of local businessmen,” Mr Semoso said. He said if large businesses want to set up in Bougainville, they should come in under a joint venture agreement as stated in ABG’s economic policy.

 

28.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Landowners make peace over mining issues
By GORETHY KENNETH

BOUGAINVILLE witnessed another milestone achievement last Friday­­ — the reconciliation to end issues, differences and misunderstandings among landowners of the now defunct Panguna mine and the region’s president John Momis.
President Momis and the Panguna landowners’ association executives created a breakthrough in the history of the region and reconciled for the first time since the crisis.
The reconciliation ceremony between President Momis and the representatives of the six mine lease areas led by interim chairman Chris Damana and Lawrence Daveona paves the way for Bougainville’s prosperity and easy access to negotiations of re-opening the Panguna Mine.
The ceremony was two-phased; a meeting at the Parliament’s Executive Council room at Kubu with Momis and his Cabinet and later the reconciliation ceremony at the Bougainville Administration conference room in Buka. Head of the six mine lease areas took their seats. Chris Damana as the interim PLA chairman, Theresa Jaintong as the interim chairperson of the Siokate lease which covers Arawa urban, Benedine Kira as spokesperson for the Lower Tailings, Scholastica Meuka led the Port Access Road Mine, Severinus including those of the Upper Tailings and the Special Mining Lease and Tarciscius Karuai of the Port Access Road Mine. Momis was happy to hold the hands with leaders again and shake hands. All present shed tears during the ceremony.
ABG vice president Patrick Nisira, at the forefront of this ceremony said he started working on the reconciliation plans since December 2010 and last Friday, he was proud to see the fruit of his work. Before the ceremony Nisira announced it would only be refreshments served and that there was no pig feast to celebrate.
“The size of the pig doesn’t matter, the size of the occasion does,” he said. This ceremony now paves way for us to further our negotiations on the re-opening of the Panguna mine.”
Momis congratulated the leaders for coming together to negotiate the mine re-opening and other issues. He spoke of the wealth of experience Bougainville enjoys and has appealed for unity to move Bougainville forward.
Chris Damana who spoke on behalf of the landowners said he was a happy man as it singled out the way forward for the ABG and the people of Bougainville. He said the ceremony will now pave way for economic recovery on Bougainville. He appealed to the media to report the truth and be sensitive to the Panguna issues. He also challenged the landowners to take the reconciliation from their hearts and to work with ABG for prosperity on Bougainville.

 

 

26.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier Weekend Courier

Bougainville turning into tourist hotspot
By JOYCE TOHUI

BOUGAINVILLE is a paradise, sometimes called “the land of black of flowers” in many song lyrics. The island is slowly developing into a tourist hotspot after attracting tourists from all over the world.
Recently, an Australian tourist vessel based in Cairns, briefly visited Buka last Wednesday with more than 40 Australian and European tourists.
Ocean Explorer arrived in Buka just before midday and was in Buka for the whole afternoon before leaving for Rabaul in the afternoon.
For the short stop over in Buka, the tourists visited the Rahats Botanical Garden at Hutjena, the Japanese Bunkers at Hahela and also the ABG Parliament House at Kubu. The ABG House of Representative was temporarily suspended to allow the tourists to have a tour of the Parliament chamber.
ABG House of Representative Speaker Andrew Miriki welcomed the visitors and said that Bougainville is keen on promoting tourism in the region and welcomes all visitors to the island’s sandy shores.
The tourists, mostly elderly pensioners, were happy at the special reception given by the Bougainville’s leadership.
They were also able to buy some souvenirs from the Buka market.
The tour organiser, Lawrence Belle said that Bougainville is an untapped tourist destination that is slowly developing.
And he said that this was Ocean Explorer’s fourth visit to Buka.
The ship came from Gizo in the Solomon Islands and was cleared in Buka by Customs authorities before travelling on to Rabual and continuing its destination onwards.

 

 

25.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Woman nominates
By GORETHY KENNETH

A WOMAN is among 14 candidates that nominated for the North Bougainville Open Seat.
Rachael Opeti Konaka, from Tinputz is booked to officially nominate today as advised by the Bougainville Electoral officers yesterday.
Ms Konaka and her male counterparts started nominating since Monday when the issued writs was.
People’s Democratic Party candidate Damien Kora was one of the first to nominate apart from People’s National Congress candidate Donald Hamao and PNG Constitutional Democratic Party candidate Dr Joe Potten Vilosi.
Sylvester Niu was the only one that nominated yesterday. The others are Justin Helele, Marceline Getsi, Joseph Watawi, Pais Taehu, Lauta Atoi, George Manu, Joseph Baito and Joseph Gatana.
This is the by-election timetable for the North Bougainville seat:
- Issue of Writs Monday March 21;
- Nominations close on Monday March 28;
- Polling starts Saturday, May 14;
- Polling closes Friday, May 28; and
- Return of Writs Friday, June 10
The results of the seat would be made known five days before the celebrations of the ABG anniversary on June 15.

 

 

25.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

250311 MASATT

Former ABG Vice President former ABG member for Tonsu,
Lawyer Ezekiel Masatt signing nomination documents in Buka this afternoon.

 

 

 

25.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BELLEH
Bougainville's tour operator, LAWRENCE BELLEH Pictured also nominated .

 

 

25.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Pics

Picture of Candidate Rachel Opeti with her supporters at the front of the Buka Electoral Office this afternoon.

 

 

 

25.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

LLG happy
By JOYCE TOHUI

An officer from the Local Level Government, SIONE NASH told the people of SELAU that his division was happy for the progress they have made so far to appoint their Village Assembly members.
He made these remarks during the swearing in ceremony for the members of the HANTOA Village Assembly yesterday.
MR NASH said that this was the first recognized established Village Assemblies by the LLG Division in the SELAU constituency.
He said this was what the officers from his division have encouraged other Village Assemblies to do.
He told the people that the program must continue because this was where the people will receive information about the work of the government.
He added that if the Village Assemblies work together, proper service delivery will reach the people.
MR NASH urged the members elect to believe in themselves and have the courage to serve their people.

 

25.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

WOMAN ENTERS ELECTION
By Aloysius Laukai

 

The first woman candidate nominated today for the North Bougainville Open seat by-election.

The woman candidate RACHEL OPETI KONAKA dressed in traditional clothes pulled quite a crowd as her supporters started their procession from the Boat stop right to the Buka Hospital and then to the Electoral Office.

Four more male candidates also nominated today bringing the number to Sixteen candidates with more to nominate before nominations close at 4pm on Monday March 28th,2011.

Those who nominated today included the former ABG member for Tonsu, EZEKIEL MASATT who resigned last week to contest the by-election.

Other was the former member for PEIT and strong Tourism promoter, LAWRENCE KABUL BELLEH who also came with a large crowd which included Bamboo Bands on trucks.

Former Educationist PETER MACTOBARA and former Chairman of the Tsitalato COE, JOSEPH GATANA quietly nominated with only their witnesses.

 

25.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

POPULATION INCREASE

BY MARIA LAUKAI

Lack of Family Planning Awareness has been blamed for the increasing population on Bougainville.

This was revealed by Chief Maika, on Wednesday this week.

Mr maika, told Bougainville meri programme team on New Dawn FM that the people living in the remote areas of Tinputz, know nothing about family planning.

Maika said, not enough health facilities and health personnel in the area, was making the situation worst.

With bad road conditions, they have to travel along way to seek medical treatment at the nearest Tearouki health centre.

Chief Maika told the Bougainville meri tete team, that the health services were very good during colonial days.

The Catholic Nuns would travel by foot to villages, further inland or mountainous areas, and visit the people. Teaching and treating. The seriously ill were referred to the health centres or straight to the Arawa general hospital.

He said today young people were marrying and bearing children at a very early age,
As young as 15 years old.

MR. MAIKA called on the ABG to quickly reverse this situation.

 

24.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

COOKED FOOD BANNED
By Aloysius Laukai

Buka Urban Authority has banned the sale of cooked food as from today as a temporary precautionary measure.

This follows the outbreak of severe flu in the Lontis village of Buka island this week.

This was revealed this afternoon by the Health Inspector for the Buka Urban Council, LAWRENCIA KUMIS.

She told New Dawn FM that the situation at Lontis was serious and people must not take it lightly.

MISS KUMIS was speaking on New Dawn FM this afternoon with the Division of Health’s Environment Inspector, FRANCIS TOMI.

They said that the symptoms collected from the people affected was similar with those of Cholera but the laboratory test will confirm it.

Samples have been sent to Port Moresby and the result could be known by tomorrow.

 

24.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

FUNDS DIVERTED
By Aloysius Laukai

The extension of the Division of Primary Industry Office in Buka has come to a complete stop following the diversion of funds earmarked for the building.

The half completed House which is funded from funds from the Governance Improvement Fund (GIF) has been left incomplete since funds were diverted for other programs under the Primary Industry Division.

A frustrated Contractor, HENRY JOHN from the HATSITOAKA PAINTERS AND DECORATERS told New Dawn FM that he had stopped work on the building because a total of TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND KINA for the building was removed from the project.

He said he was now waiting for the Bougainville Administration to refund these monies from the division’s allocation.

New Dawn received copies of correspondences between the Deputy Administrator’s Office concerning the use of these funds.

According to the letter from the Technical Division, Funds totaling K24,200 was used to pay for DPI Offices Office Equipments Laptop and Printer K7,200
And K14,000.00 was used on fumigation.
These expenditures were not included in the scope of work for the said building.

 

Pictured is the contractor Henry John outside the building in Buka Town
Picture by Aloysius Laukai

 

 
24.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Picture of Candidate LAUTA ATOI FILLING nomination forms.
AL

 

 

 

24.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Some Pictures from Nomination week

 

This is one of the crowds that brought in three candidates by PDM Bougainville Branch.
There Candidate is Damian Kora
AL

 

 

 

24.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ELECTION PEACEFUL
By Aloysius Laukai

The North Bougainville By-Election has been reported as peaceful since campaigning started this week.

Election Manager, REITAMA TARAVARU said that campaigning is progressing well with no problems between candidates.

He assured all Bougainvilleans who have outstanding claims from the last ABG elections that funds were in the process for payment.

MR. TARAVARU said all genuine claims would be paid.

On the ABG Byelection to replace the member for Tonsu who resigned to contest the National Elections, he said that TONSU By election would be held by September.
And that if September is passed it would have to wait for 2013, after the 2012 National Government Elections.

 

24.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ELECTION UPDATE
By Aloysius Laukai

Eleven candidates have nominated for the North Bougainville By election since the Nominations opened on Monday this week.

And out of the eleven, Three PNG Parties have nominated candidates to run under their tickets.

The Peoples National Congress has nominated DONALD HAMAU, People Democratic Movement has nominated DAMIAN KORA and PNG Constitutional Democratic Party has nominated DR.JOE POTEN VILOSI as their candidate.

AND independent candidates are, JUSTIN HELELE a former staff of the Bougainville Regional Member, Former senior public servant in the Bougainville Administration, GEORGE MANU,
Former Kumul, LAUTA ATOI, former staff of the member for North Bougainville, JOSEPH BAITO, former ABG senior Minister, TAEHU PAIS, Former Ex-combatant member for North Bougainville, MARCHELLIN GETSI LARIS former ABG Vice President JOSEPH WATAWI and Businessman SYLVESTER NIU.

Meanwhile two more intending candidates have booked to nominate tomorrow morning.

The two yet to nominate include the first woman candidate in the North Bougainville seat By election.

 

 

24.03.2011
Source: The National

US ambassador visits Bougainville

 
ATTAINING independence or maintaining an autonomous status for Bougainville will be a decision that the people of Bougainville will have to make, United States Ambassador Teddy Taylor said.
The ambassador was speaking during a one-day visit to Bougainville this week in which he was asked on what he thought of Bougainville’s move towards a referendum for independence or continued autonomy in 2015.
“People have to look at this in an unemotional way. It is great but, once you become an independent nation, how do you generate revenue to support being independent?” Taylor asked.
In response to the issue of re-opening Panguna mine, the ambassador said it made sense, especially in rebuilding the economy of the region.
“The mine means jobs, it means income and that’s real revenue.”
During his short visit to the autonomous region, Taylor, who was accompanied by his wife Antoinette and public diplomacy officer Brian Asmus visited UNDP officials and met with Bougainville NGO groups after paying a courtesy call on President John Momis and Minister for Bougainville Affairs Fidelis Semoso.
This was Taylor’s first official visit to Bougainville since he became US ambassador to PNG on Sept 21, 2009.

 

 

24.03.2011
Source: The National

Mine landowners and ABG reconcile
By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

LEADERS of the Panguna landowners Association (PLOA) and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) have resolved to work together in handling the Panguna mine issues.
This pledge was sealed with a handshake between both parties and witnessed by the media last Friday in Buka town, Bougainville.
ABG President John Momis expressed his gratitude to the representatives of the lease holding groups of Panguna and said he was grateful for the initiative taken by PLOA to iron out differences and misunderstandings between both parties as a lead-up to the reconciliation ceremony.
Momis said when all parties were happy to work together, “then the common goal has already been achieved”.
“That is why we have to work together to make that linkage of ownership and benefits.
“Let us not fear, let us move forward.”
He added that the revolution was over and all stakeholders were on the next phase which was the development phase.
PLOA interim chairman Chris Damana also urged the media to report accurately on events in the region, especially on the sensitive issue of re-opening Panguna mine and challenged parties to the reconciliation to be genuine in their move to reconcile.
He added that for the purpose of transparency, any parties including the national government and ABG who had business with PLOA must initially go through a process of talking with three identified PLOA liaison officers including Lawrence Daveona of Kuranbang clan.

 

 

24.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Diarrhoea hits Buka
By GORETHY KENNETH

THERE is an outbreak of diarrhoea epidemic on the northern tip of Lontis, Buka Island, with a strong suspicion it could be cholera and already 35 cases had been reported with two deaths.
Clinical reports detail that the symptoms were that of cholera but a full confirmation from the laboratory at the Port Moresby General Hospital was yet to be received and should be made known by Saturday.
A state of emergency has been declared effective as of yesterday and would continue for the next three weeks. Acting chief administrator and chairman of the Cholera Task Force Raymond Masono announced this yesterday during a press briefing which also included donor partners specifically AusAID, WHO, Red Cross Bougainville, World Vision, health advisers, the provincial health executives and Buka General Hospital. A massive awareness was undertaken by the Cholera Task Force to contain and address the outbreak.
The membership of the CTF was drawn from all sectors including PNG Ports, Buka Town Authority, Media Division of the AROB, Church Health Services, National Broadcasting Corporation, AROB administration, AROB health, Buka Hospital, Chamber of Commerce, NAQIA, media representatives, education and other NGO representatives.
The public was advised to take precautionary measures such as boiling water before drinking, washing hands before handling food and after using toilet and ensuring food were cooked properly before eaten.
The public was also advised to come to the nearest health facility for treatment and for information or guidance if they experience any acute episode of diarrhoea. The areas that come under Lontis include Opaha, Tanurongu, Gogonua, Tegese, Soena, Pipisu, Rekreki, Kokobul, Putu and Moni.
Those mostly affected were from Opaha, Gogonuna and Tegese.
The population in that area was over 2000 and the nearest health centre was Lemanmanu. Quarantine had been issued as a medical command post set up at Tegese village.
“The suspected cases of acute diarrhoea outbreak being reported through the health facility level including the Buka Hospital and based on the reports submitted to the AROB Health Office stands at over 35 cases with two deaths,” Mr Masono said.
“This week the technical support from the Department of Health, WHO and AROB Health officers have put in place the structure of the Cholera Technical Response Team to co-ordinate the five key areas in responding to the outbreak.”
Mr Masono challenged the CTF committee to work together to contain the outbreak.

 

 

23.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Pictured is the type of Crowd these Candidates are attracting in Buka Town.
This was taken from the PDM Party procession outside the Electoral Office in Buka.
DAMIEN KORA is their Candidate
AL

 

23.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

TEN SO FAR
By Aloysius Laukai

Ten candidates have nominated for the North Bougainville By election since the Nominations opened on Monday.

And out of the ten, Parties that have nominated candidates are, Peoples National Congress, People Democratic Movement and PNG Constitutional Democratic Party whilst the other seven are standing as independents.

The names of the candidates that have nominated so far are, JUSTIN HELELE a former staff of the Bougainville Regional Member, Former senior public servant in the Bougainville Administration, GEORGE MANU,
Former Kumul, LAUTA ATOI, former staff of the member for North Bougainville, JOSEPH BAITO, former ABG senior Minister, TAEHU PAIS, Former Resistance Force Chairman, DONALD HAMAU, a Doctor from the Buka Hospital, DR.JOE POTEN VILOSI, Former Ex-combatant member for North Bougainville, MARCHELLIN GETSI LARIS former ABG Vice President JOSEPH WATAWI and Businessman DAMIAN KORA.

More are expected to nominate just before nominations close next Monday.

 

 

23.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

CHOLERA POSSIBLE
By Aloysius Laukai

Health Authorities have not ruled out CHOLERA outbreak in the Lontis area of Buka island.

And a press conference this afternoon was told that confirmation would be made known once laboratory tests are completed by tomorrow.

A brief from the Cholera Task Force chairman, RAYMOND MASONO called on the public to take precautionary measures such as boiling water before drinking, washing hands after using the toilet and also washing hands before eating.
He said that the Cholera Response team which was established when cholera hit New Guinea mainland has been re-activated to help contain the situation at Lontis village.

 

 

23.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SIARA VA
By Aloysius Laukai

Twenty- four members of the Siara Village Assembly were sworn in as members of the village assembly this morning at Siara village.

The ceremony was the first of four ceremonies scheduled for the Selau Village Assemblies.

Next village assembly is Hantoa which members would be sworn in tomorrow.

Today’s ceremony was witnessed by the Chairman of the Selau Quigen Council, the LLG office and the ABG member for Selau TERRY MOSE.

Member for SELAU, TERRY MOSE in his speech vowed to work with the village Assembly on all development issues in the area.

He said that he was happy that now he can work with a Government Authority within the village.

MR. MOSE said that he would assist the Assembly with trainings so that the Assembly can function as expected.

 

23.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

TWO DEATH
By Aloysius Laukai

 

Two people are confirmed dead and thirty-five affected by the severe diarrhea at Lontis village on Buka island.

This has made Health Authorities on Buka island move quickly to identify the problem and contain it before more death occur.

Chairman of the Cholera Task Force, RAYMOND MASONO says that his team has already moved into the area to contain the sick from spreading.

He said that people around the area have already undergone preventive medication whilst his team are investigating the problem.

MR. MASONO thanked the Health Division and the World Health Organization for responding quickly to the problem.

 

23.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

 

Picture of US Ambassador's wife Antoinette Corbin Taylor welcomed at the Buka Airport by Ms Kazuho Ito a mixed parentage from Buka/Japanese.

 

US VISIT
By Aloysius Laukai

The US Ambassador to PNG, TEDDY TAYLOR and wife Antoinette Corbin Taylor arrived in Buka yesterday for a one day visit to Buka.

He told a Press Conference at the Buka airport that his brief visit to Buka was to see for himself what was happening on Bougainville in terms of development after the Bougainville conflict.

He said he was to have travelled from Buka to Kavieng but due to the Kavieng airport closer they will now visit the West New Britain Province.

Whilst in Buka the Ambassador had a courtesy call to the ABG President, JOHN MOMIS and also met with women groups and the UNDP team on Bougainville.

He left Buka today for Kimbe.

 

 

23.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SELAU SWEARS
By Aloysius Laukai

The Selau Constituency will see four of its Village Assemblies have their Swearing In ceremonies starting tomorrow Tuesday.

According to their official program, SIARA village Assembly will have its swearing in ceremony on Tuesday 23rd March.

Hantoa Village Assembly on 24th March, Sorom Village Assembly on 25th March and the Rapoma Village Assembly on March 28th, 2011.

New Dawn FM understands that under the Local Level Government system the ABG supports Council of Elders and Village Assemblies as the lowest form of Government for the people.

And most of the time they are the only form of government which the ordinary villagers deal with to solve problems in the villages.

 

23.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PAYOUT STARTED
By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainvilleans who have outstanding claims from the last ABG general Elections have been assured that their payments would be made.

Yesterday the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner, REITAMA TARAVARU told a News Conference that he was happy the ABG has finally put in the money to pay these outstanding.

He said that this would now make the work of running the North Bougainville seat by-election without any problems.

A quick check by New Dawn FM saw claims being processed through the normal financial system of the government.

And Checks could be ready starting next week.

 

23.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SEVEN NOMINATE
By Aloysius Laukai

 

Seven candidates have so far nominated for the North Bougainville seat by-election since nominations opened yesterday afternoon.

The Seven are, JUSTIN HELELE, GEORGE MANU, JOSEPH WATAWI, LAUTA ATOI, JOSEPH BAITO, TAEHU PAIS and DAMIAN KORA.

The first three nominated immediately after nominations opened at 4pm yesterday.

Joseph Watawi nominated at the Kokopau District under Assistant Returning Officer Julius Kaiae whilst Justin Helele and George Manu nominated under the Returning Officer, REITAMA TARAVARU.

This morning, LAUTA ATOI nominated after a long procession with supporters starting from the old Buka market to the Electoral office which located on Matanei building, back street Buka town.

Then a much bigger crowd with Bamboo and flutes came the PDM party group which had their main candidate, DAMIAN KORA and two PRO PDM independent candidates, JOSEPH BAITO and TAEHU PAIS.

Out of the seven only one has been officially endorsed by the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) in which the former member and now Governor General was a party strongman.

Nominations will close next Monday March 28th, 2011 at 4pm.

 

 

23.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Radio Bougainville to go on air

ABOUT 250,000 people in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville will soon get reliable information service through their local radio station, Radio Bougainville.
PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd and the Autonomous Bougainville Government recently agreed to co-fund the purchase of a new Short Wave transmitter for Radio Bougainville which will improve the transmission of the radio signals.
Radio Bougainville is the provincial radio station of the National Broadcasting Corporation.
Director of PNGSDP Don Manoa presented a cheque of K50,000 to ABG in Buka last week.
The ABG’s counterpart funding for the project is K42,000. The cheque presentation ceremony was witnessed by representatives from ABG, UNDP, AusAID and staff from NBC’s Radio Bougainville.
“Radio Bougainville (Maus Bilong Sankamap) is one of the oldest radio stations in PNG, started broadcasting in Kieta from 1967 until the time of the conflict (1988-1990),” said Mr Manoa.
He said the radio service has been an important source of communication for communities in north, central and south Bougainville including the atolls but it was off air for almost a year due to the break down of the transmitter.
Mr Manoa said although PNGSDP’s funding component was not as significant as other projects it supported in Bougainville, the level of impact would be high considering the population in Bougainville who would benefit from the program broadcasted daily.
Bougainville President John Momis said as a result of the civil war, Bougainville has been reduced to basics.
“Such initiative encourages empowerment of the people as it will help to inform and educate the society,” he said.
He said without that people would become victims of dependency syndromes so they become vulnerable to manipulation.
Mr Momis said it was disappointing that Radio Bougainville was not adequately funded by the National Government.
He said he was grateful to PNGSDP for recognising this need.

 

23.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

‘ABG must serve people’
By JOYCE TOHUI

 

AUTONOMOUS Bougainville Government members were urged to carry out their obligations and responsibilities as mandated by the people to parliament.
This was the message given by the former Member for Tonsu, Ezekiel Massat during parliament sessions recently. Massat resigned his Tonsu seat under the ABG to contest the North Bougainville MP seat vacated by Governor General-elect Michael Ogio.
He challenged the ABG members and ministers of the ABG Government to find ways to help their people and not do it for money.
He said members must have aims to achieve and not use the lack of money as excuse. Mr Massat said this when commending the ABG President John Momis on his ministerial statement.
He said that there were potentials available and if the opportunities were not taken, there would be no help received from outside.
He said the ABG must not wait around for help.
The ABG member for Atolls Frank Pasini thanked Mr Momis for including his people in his request of financial assistance from the Australian Government.
He said that the $2 million requested per year over the next five years to implement the ABG Atolls integrated development policy for resettlement would really help his people.

 

 

23.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Give us a judge: Semoso

BOUGAINVILLE is now serious about bringing in a full time resident judge to service the region this year.
Minister for Bougainville Affairs and Trade Fidelis Semoso has pledged his support and wants to be committed to the establishment and financing of a resident Judge on Bougainville.
Justice Sao Gabi is on circuit on Bougainville. He arrived on Saturday in Buka were he was welcomed by a traditional Hangan women’s group and ABG Minister for Police, Law and Justice Leo Hannett together with Administrator Lawrence Disin, deputy administrator Patrick Koles, resident magistrate Peter Toliken and Mr Semoso. Bougainville ACP Thomas Eluh was also present to receive and welcome the judge. Justice Gabi told a press conference that Bougainville was one of the five provinces that still had no resident judge but said the judiciary was seriously looking at these provinces.
Mr Toliken said the responsibility under the Bougainville Constitution to set up and provide funding for a resident judge was Bougainville’s and that preparations were already in place to accommodate that.
He said the Buka courthouse was already partitioned to separate district and national court registeries as it was one of the criteria for bringing a resident judge to Bougainville apart from accommodation and office set up.
Mr Toliken said land has already been allocated and they were working on a submission for funding.
But Mr Semoso said there was a bit of funding to cater for the matter and requested for costing and other information so work would progress. Mr Semoso said: “Bougainville needs a resident judge and the political will to drive this is there.”

 

 

23.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

IT at schools

STUDENTS and teachers of Hutjena and Tarlena Secondary schools in Buka got new computers from the Department of Education.
Twenty new computers were installed at the schools respectively.
The computers were supplied by Able Computing and were installed by Mr Thomas Podarua from the Department of Education’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) unit and Mr Karl Turnbull from AusAID.
The installation included networking the computers and running in-service training sessions for teachers.
The principal of Tarlena Secondary School, Lucy Oata said the students had graduated from Tarlena Secondary School with no computing skills which made it difficult for them at universities or find employment.
She was very grateful that her students would now have access to the latest technology to prepare them for the future.

 

23.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

ABG members told to work for the people
By JOYCE TOHUI

AUTONOMOUS Bougainville Government (ABG) members have been urged to carry out their obligations and responsibilities as mandated by the people who voted them into Parliament.
This was the message given by the former Member for Tonsu, Ezekiel Massat during the ABG’s first Parliament session last week. Mr Massat resigned his Tonsu seat to contest the North Bougainville seat vacated by Governor General Michael Ogio.
He challenged the ABG members and ministers of the ABG Government to find ways to help their people and not go after the lure of money.
He said members must have aims to achieve and not use the lack of money as their excuse.
Mr Massat said this when commending ABG President Chief John Momis on his ministerial statement.
He said there were opportunities available but if they are not taken seriously, there would be no assistance from outside.
He said there were a lot of criticisms on trips by the Government but the ABG could not wait around, longing for help.
Mr Massat said although stated in the Bougainville Peace Agreement that the National Government will provide funding for Bougainville, the autonomous region must not only depend on that.
Meanwhile, the ABG member for Atolls constituency, Frank Pasini thanked President Momis for including his people in his request of financial assistance from the Australian Government.
He said the request for K2 million a year over the next five years to implement the ABG Atolls integrated development policy for resettlement would really help his people.
Mr Pasini told the House that this was good news for his people. He said his people were the first refugees of climate change in the world and the ABG must help them.

 

 

23.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Villagers destroy marijuana plants

KUNUA DISTRICT in the north-west area of Bougainville is one of the region’s least developed areas. However, people from villages like Tohein and other areas near the Kunua District Station have finally put their heads together to eradicate cannabis or marijuana from their area.
North Bougainville Regional Police Commander Inspector Cletus Tsien and his New Zealand Police Advisor Inspector Andrew Smith with a team of community policing officers from Buka Police Station were at Kunua last Saturday to witness the second marijuana uprooting and burning event in the Teua Constituency.
The ABG member for Teua Constituency, Joseph Nopei, Kunua Executive Manager John Sisiasi; Council of Elders representative, John Siriri and various youth and women’s representatives were present. The program began last month at Tohein Village and continued at Ubuyopei Village last Saturday.
Kunua Police Post Officer in Charge, Acting Sergeant Donald Boire with the help of Community Auxiliary Police Officers, youth, teachers and students from two primary schools in the area all helped in the uprooting of plants from a mountainside farm. Police and leaders encouraged the youth of Kunua to keep up the good work of freeing their area from marijuana.

 

 

22.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

US envoy coy on wreck

United States Ambassador to PNG Teddy Taylor says he has not been officially notified by the government of Bougainville and PNG on a plane wreckage on a Buka Island reported to be that of Amelia Earhart.
Although US public diplomacy officer Brian Asmus said in an unofficial note that the wreckage was not likely to be Earhart’s plane, Mr Taylor refused to comment.
Mr Taylor said he had been kept abreast by newspaper reports and that if the plane wreck was found to be that of Earhart’s, it would be an interesting aeronautical discovery and that would also further strengthen ties for PNG, Bougainville and the US.
Mr Taylor, who is on a quick visit to Bougainville with his wife Antoinette Corbin, was met by ABG ministers and Acting Administrator Raymond Masono, and welcomed by Kamarau Inter-national School students.
In a press conference, Mr Taylor’s focus was centred on the US$60 million aid America gives to PNG and the regional assistance program that Bougainville benefits from through the UN’s HIV/AIDS programs.
He also spoke about the Panguna mine re-opening but said he could not imagine independence for Bougainville without it.
He said autonomy and independence were domestic issues for consideration.

 

 

22.03.2011
Source: The National

Writs issued for North Bougainville by-election
By JEFFREY ELAPA

WRITS for the North Bougainville by-election were issued in Port Moresby yesterday.
Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen presented the instruments for the by-election to Governor-General Michael Ogio at Government House yesterday.
The North Bougainville seat was left vacant following Ogio’s election, by parliament, in January as the ninth governor-general of PNG.
The writs were signed at 10am yesterday.
Intending candidates have seven days, starting today, to nominate.
Nominations will close at 4pm next Monday.
Trawen said polling was scheduled from Saturday, May 14, to Friday, May 20. Writs will be returned on June 10.
Trawen said all nominations must be registered with the returning officer, Reitama Taravaru, at the Buka Electoral Commission office or with the six assistant returning officers in the six districts before March 28 (Felix Sarimu for the Atolls; Henry Taul for Nissan; Tommy Samson for Buka; Julius Kaiae for Selau; Garry Ariran for Kunua; and Peter Kutandeo for Tinputz).
He said 51 polling teams with five members each would be engaged in conducting the by-election.
He said while the commission was awaiting a response from finance and treasury for its K3 million request for the whole by-election operation, LPV awareness activities and trainers’ workshops were currently underway.
Trawen said the North Bougainville electoral roll was being finalised for printing.

 

22.03.2011
Source: The National

Kunua community work together with police to fight marijuana

KUNUA district in the northwest area of Bougainville, is one of the region’s least developed areas.
However, people from villages like Tohein and other areas near the district station have finally put their hands together to eradicate cannabis or marijuana from their area.
North Bougainville regional police commander Insp Cletus Tsien and his New Zealand police adviser Insp Andrew Smith, along with a team of community policing officers from Buka police station, were at Kunua last Saturday to witness the second marijuana uprooting and burning event in the Teua constituency.
ABG member for Teua constituency Joseph Nopei, Kunua executive manager John Sisiasi, council of elders representative John Siriri and various youth and women’s representatives were also present.
 The eradication programme began last month at Tohein village and continued to Ubuyopei village last Saturday.
Kunua police post officer in charge acting Sgt Donald Boire, community auxiliary police officers, youth, teachers and students from two primary schools in the area all helped in the uprooting of plants from a mountainside farm which they carried for 3km to Ubuyopei where the plants were burnt after a short ceremony.
A primary school teacher, Michael Sition, who, along with fellow colleagues and students who lent a hand in the exercise, said marijuana was a drug not worth taking as it was a contributing factor to many social ills in the community.
He said when he was younger, he used to smoke marijuana but quit because he found out that it was very harmful to one’s well-being and not worth taking.
Police and other leaders also expressed similar sentiments and encouraged the youth of Kunua to keep up the good work of freeing their area from marijuana.

 

 

21.03.2011

Source: ESBC / Bougainville Copper Limited

 

ESBC published the questionnaire for 2011 Annual General Meeting !

 

Read all ESBC questions here!

 

 

Download here the official invitation to the 2011 Annual General Meeting and the Proxy Form!

 

Downloaden Sie hier die offizielle Einladung zur Hauptversammlung 2011 sowie das Proxy Formular!

 

 

 

21.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

COUNTDOWN BEGINS
By Aloysius Laukai

 

Out of the Thirty or so Intending candidates to stand for the North Bougainville By election, three have nominated after the nominations opened this afternoon.

Two candidates nominated under the Returning Officer, REITAMA TARAVARU whilst one more candidate nominated at the Kokopau District Office under Assistant Returning Officer Julius Kaiae.

The former ABG vice President under late President KABUI, JOSEPH WATAWI nominated to contest in the by election.

According to bookings already made to the Returning Officer Four more are nominating tomorrow.

Nomination closes next Monday 28th March at 4 pm

 

 

21.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

WRITS ISSUED
By Aloysius Laukai

 

Writs for the North Bougainville Open Seat by election was issued today by the Governor General, SIR MICHAEL OGIO.

And following the issuing of the writs after four pm this afternoon three candidates nominated to contest the election.

The three candidates are, JUSTIN HELELE the former staff of the Bougainville Regional Member, nominated after nominations opened after 4 pm.

The other candidate that nominated this afternoon was, MR, GEORGE MANU the former Peace and Weapons Disposal officer under UN and longtime senior public servant.

Both candidates are running as Independent candidates.

 

21.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

TARAVARU HAPPY
By Aloysius Laukai

 

The North Bougainville By election Returning Officer, Electoral Manager, REITAMA TARAVARU says with the payment of all outstanding bills from the last ABG election he hopes the by-election would be trouble free.

He told New Dawn FM this afternoon that he was happy that the ABG has agreed to settle all outstanding bills from the ABG elections.

MR. TARAVARU said that since the issue of writs to the close of nominations next Monday he expects many candidates to enroll for the election.
On the Common Roll update, MR. TARAVARU says that nearly all the Constituencies have been completed.

He said Common Roll update for the Atolls were done by Telephone and would be tidied up before the polling begins.

On the By election for the TONSU seat left vacant by the resignation of IZIKEL MASAT, MR. TARAVARU said that this would take place after September this year.

 

21.03.2011
Source: The National

Bougainvilleans claim existence of cult group

POLICE in Central Bougainville are closely monitoring activities of a cult group existing in the Aita area of Wakunai district.
According to station commander Oscar Tugein, concerned local groups in the area have been calling for investigating into activities of a certain cult group (named).
Tugein said church leaders, village chief, school management boards and other law-abiding citizens in the Aita and surrounding areas have called on police to immediately move in and arrest the cult leaders who are alleged to have been misleading the locals for years.
It is believed that those involved in the cult movement are ex- followers of two mainstream churches located in the Aita area.
Tugein said police reinforcement teams from other districts have been put on standby to assist.  
Police reports revealed that the group has cleared a pathway leading from their “headquarters” near Kukuavo village to a location adjacent to two schools.
This was in preparation for the arrival of “the black king” who they believe would bring them goods (cargo) and free services.
Cult members had reportedly stopped their children from attending school for fear that their children might be brainwashed.
A source said that some teachers had fled in fear for their lives and due to harassment by marijuana addicts from the area. 
Former members of the sect (who are now under police protection) said that the “king and queen” of the group have  urged their followers to participate in a “human  sacrifice” ceremony in which two children would be offered as burnt sacrifices to their god.

 

 

21.03.2011
Source: The National

Bougainville schools struggling

MANY schools on central Bougainville are struggling to get by while others are turning to six or eight-in-one classrooms to ease the students learning capacity.
Schools up in the mountains of Kieta and in the bushes of the central Bougainville once benefited from materials supplied by Bougainville’s education authorities but most of them have been torched during the crisis and are now starting from scratch.
The Autonomous Bougainville Government has only recently earmarked 10 per cent of its budget for schools on the island.
Bougainville Regional MP Fidelis Semoso, who has been preaching that he only received K500,000 grant a year, took a trip down to central Bougainville on his electoral runs, and like he always does, took time to visit almost all schools and parishes, church, women and youth groups in that area. Teachers, parents and school boards from all the schools that were visited shared the same sentiments – they are in dire need of funds to maintain their classrooms, build new ones and purchase uniforms or desks and stationeries for their schools.
It has been a struggle for the province that once took pride in the way its education was run.
Mr Semoso took time out last week to visit schools in central Bougainville and presented K10,000 cheques to churches, some to very run down schools, K5000 to most schools and K3000 to women and youth groups.
Most of the schools raised concerns about the District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) funds disbursed through their MPs and denied having had a share of these monies.

 

 

21.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

STRONG WINDS
By Aloysius Laukai

There is very strong winds blowing at this very moment in Buka Town
1am PNG TIME.

 

 

20.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BDA DELIVERS
By Joyce Tohui
 

The Border Develeopment Authority has been involved in assisting Communities throughout PNG with Ships and small projects that they can help themselves with.
Since the Authority moved into Bougainville it has already contributed in giving out Saw Mills on Loans so that they can built their houses whilst at the same time repaying their loans without any interest.
Last week,BDA's Executive Chairman,POMAT MANUAI presented another sawmil to the Chairman of Tulele Peisa Inc an NGO group that is helping to ressettle Caterets Islanders to mainland Bougainville.
The Mill will be used to cut timber for the ressettlement program and at the same time it will be expected to repay its loan.
An Lease Agreement for the Mill will be signed in Buka later.
The mill was officialy received by the Chairman of Tulele Peisa Inc ALOYSIUS LAUKAI.

 

 

Pictured is MR. POMAT MANUAI shaking hands with TP Chairman MR. LAUKAI in Buka

 

20.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

 

A tourist trying to test a Bow on Wednesday, March 16th, 2011 at the Buka market.
AL

 

20.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

 

Nago man MR. WATE selling local Buin Basket to the Tourists.
Picture by Aloysius Laukai

 

20.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

 

Sales at the Buka Market had alot of varieties for the Tourists.
Picture of Solomon Islanders displaying their items.
By Aloysius Laukai

 

21.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

Pictures from the Tourist Boat visit to Buka last Wednesday, March 16th, 2011.
A Tourist is being welcomed by a Hangan villager at the Kuri village Resort.
Picture by Aloysius Laukai

 

 

20.03.2011

ESBC Research

 

Panguna Landowners: Speech of Chairman Michael Pariu

 

 

Michael Pariu

 

MICHAEL PARIU RECONCILIATION WITH HON. JOHN MOMIS MHR. SPEECH DOT POINTS

 

1. Welcome and thank you –Vice President for arranging this reconciliation with our President Hon John Momis.

We are here today to reconcile with our President and as such I as a Member and past Chairman of Old PLOA would like to point out some of the reasons as to why we have had these differences over all these past close to 30years.

2. Historical records of why Old PLOA has never been attended to by Hon John Momis while as a Member of National Parliament.
• Since 1975 BCA  review and the subsequent years, Hon Momis did not raise the issue of BCA review on the floor of Parliament to alert the National Governt on the review of BCA provisions, unlike Sir Paul Lapun who got us 5% for Royalties;

• In 1981 PLOA approached  Hon Momis with the concurrence of North Solomons Premier than,  Leo Hannet to assist us with the BCA review;

• In 1982 Because of the absence of any assistance from Hon Momis with respect to the BCA review, Old PLOA began negotiations directly with BCL and came up with what we know as “Supplementary agreement between BCL and the Panguna Landowners Association. (show a copy) . This agreement has been reviewed twice, in 1984 and in 1986.

• Hon John Momis’ “Bougainville Initiative”. Old Panguna Landowners were described as being too close to BCL and not doing much for our own people and the Panguna demonstrations where our women folks were organized to demonstrate against BCL;

• 1988 November Landowners and Bouainville Crisis-

• 1989 Peace Package Ceremony – Arawa High School Oval on the 27th October 1989. OLD & NEW LANOWNERS RECONCILIATION WERE CARRIED OUT AT THIS RECONCILIATION CEREMONY WHERE THE PEACE PACKAGE OFFER TO PANGUNA LANDOWNERS AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT WORTH K780 MILLION OVER 5 YEARS WAS ACCEPTED. ALSO HERE WAS THE OFFER BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ON SOME SHAREHOLDING IN THE 19.06% SHAREHOLDING IN BCL.

• 1989 –December Rabaul “Hamamas Hotel Resolution” Meeting of all Parties, Provincial Government, Churches, PLOA & National Government. Hon John Momis was not present at this important meeting.

• 1990 Counter Offer negotiations-Port Moresby. PLOA team went to Minister’s Momis office in Waigani and wanted to see him and his officers told us that the Minister does not want to see us as we have not made any prior arrangement.

• Many times over the years Hon Momis has always talked in the media about the Old Panguna Landowners Executives as being responsible for the crisis because of our relationship with BCL at that time. That Old landowners have stolen millions of kina belonging to the Landowners (referring to RMTL) with no real facts to base his accusations and the latest is about three or four weeks ago over a news paper item that the executive placed over his request to the Prime Minister of the 19.06 % to transfer to ABG.

• Panguna October Reconciliation-President Tanis’ABG Government arranged for Old & New Panguna Landowners. This was completed successfully and witnessed by Ministers from his Government at that time. After this reconciliation we form the new Interim PLOA Executive withMr. Chris Damana as the Chairman and you as the his deputy Chairman and Lawrence Daveona as the Interim Secretary.

• Also his reference to some of us PLOA members who live outside of Bougainville as “ABSENTEE LANDOWNERS” without due regard to all the work that some of us have done over the past 30 or so years for our Panguna Landowners.

Dispela e mol sampela hevi bilong mipela ol lain member I stap yet long Olpela Panguna landowners Association.

Em tasol.

Michael Pariu
Interim PLOA Executive

 

 

20.03,2011

ESBC Research

 

Agenda of Reconciliation Ceremony etween ABG President John Momis and the Panguna Landowners on Friday, March 18th, 2011 in Buka Town

 

 

PLOA AND PRESIDENT MOMIS RECONCILIATION PROGRAM

RECONCILIATION CEREMONY

10.00 – 11.30 am  Meeting between Parties-BEC Conference Room

Venue: Conference Room

12.00 Noon Welcome Speech by Vice President

12.10 pm Speeched by PLOA Representatives

• PLOA Women’s Representative
• Chief Michael Pariu
• Interim Chairman-Chris Damana

12.40 pm Parties to Reconcile with Hon Chief John Momis -led by Michael Pariu

 

• Old PLOA
1. Mr. Michael Pariu-Basikang Clan
2. Mr. Lawrence Daveona-Kuranbang Clan
3. Mr. Severinus Ampa’oi-Bakoringku Clan
4. Mr. Tony Anung-Basikang Clan
5. Ms Maggie Clason-Kuranbang Clan
6. Mr. Bernard Devata-Kuranbang
7. Mr. Tony Tapakau

12.50 pm    Speeches:
     
1. PLOA

• Chief  Severinus Ampa’oi

2. ABG
• Chief John Momis

1.30 – 2,00 pm  Refreshments-End of Program
 

 

20.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

 

Picture of Lawrence Daveona and President Momis with a Panguna Landowner (lady) Puting the traditional shell money on Momis on Friday March 18th, 2011.
Picture by Aloysius Laukai

 

20.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

Picture of A Panguna Chief Reconciling with the ABG President John Momis on Friday March 18th, 2011
Picture by Aloysius Laukai

 

 

19.03.2011
Source: The National Weekenender

A stroll through Panguna mine

There has been much talk lately about reopening the Panguna mine which closed in 1988 after it became the spark which ignited a 10 year civil war and left thousands dead and communities torn, reports BURL MOSES
 

WHEN Western mining operations seek resources in foreign lands they are signing up to face unthinkable cultural obstacles.
With the connection of the mining company and the resource rich nation’s government having a strong business bond, the locals on the mining sight may get left out of some detailed operations and plans. Whatever goes wrong with mining operations, whether it is landowner payment disputes, government corruption, racial discrimination between foreign and local workers, mining chemicals causing problems with soil fertility and ocean marine life, the problems will most likely affect the people that live on the land the most.
Exploring the crisis-affected lands of the Panguna mine site I often felt like an intruder in some strange neglected neighbourhood.
Almost all the mine site buildings have been burnt and the ones with solid foundations are now serving as food shops and homes to some of the original landowners.
There are at least 10 people who live on the site now that also worked there during the mines operation more than 20 years ago.
A 58-year-old local, who wished to remain anonymous, worked on the mine site in the laboratory building and now lives in one of the old hardware warehouses with his family expressed his views.
“The mine should benefit people for longer, for generations to generation.
“The money just goes back to the (mining company’s) country.
“After they open supermarkets (at the mine sites), it left little money for the landowners.
“We stopped the mine, now it’s really quiet.”

 

 

Panguna Mine
Young children walking past the old married quarters.

 

 

A lone copper dump truck that was completely burned out during the crisis.

 

 

Twenty-seven large copper dump tucks that were burned to the ground. Nature is slowly growing around the rusted bodies.

 

 

The largest open-cut mine

 

 

Clothes lines and gardens. The village life has reclaimed the land that the modern mine was operating in.

 

 

The old recreation pool for the mine workers

 

Broken down toilets in the Panguna pool bathrooms

 

Clothes hanging outside the old fuel station. According to a local, there are at least ten people living in the mine structures that also worked for the mine.

 

Philomina, Natalie, Alison (2 year old in lap), Katherine and their dog Peter. Passing time on the front porch of what used to be the fuel station. There are ten people that live in this building.

 

 

Scrap metal everywhere in Panguna

 

 

19.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

LEADERS RECONCILE
By Aloysius Laukai

Landowners of the now closed giant Bougainville Copper Mine in Panguna today reconciled with the ABG President, Chief John Momis in Buka today.

The reconciliation ceremony was witnessed by the Panguna Landowners and Members and ministers of the ABG House and including administration staff.

The Reconciliation was following outburst by one Panguna leader, Lawrence Daveona questioning why the ABG President was calling for the 19 percent Shares on BCL now owned by the Papua New Guinea National Government.

This is now a thing of the past as the leaders today reconciled and vowed to work together for one united Bougainville.

Speakers at today’s ceremony included senior Panguna Landowner SEVERINUS AMPOAI, Landowners Interim Chairman, CHRIS DAMANA and the ABG President Chief John Momis.

MR. MOMIS in his speech said that the situation on Bougainville was like kids fighting for an empty pot of rice already eaten by dogs.

He said instead we should work together and cook a new pot of rice which all of us can enjoy.

MR. AMPOAI just thanked the organizers for uniting them with their government.

AND MR. DAMANA called on the people to support the Panguna landowners in their bid to fast-track the re-opening which can benefit the region.

 

 

 

19.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

POLICE TO INVESTIGATE CULT GROUP
BY JOYCE TOHUI

Police in Wakunai, Central Bougainville have been called to investigate the activities of a cult group operating in the Aita area.

Reports received from Buka police said that police reinforcement’s teams from the three regions of Bougainville have been urged to help police in Wakunai to investigate the matter.

Wakunai Police Station Commander, Sergeant Oscar Tugen said that concerns have been raised by the people in the area for police to move in immediately and arrest the cult leaders.

They said that the cult leaders have been misleading the local people for years.

 

 

 

18.03.2011
Source: The National

‘Taylor-made’ for a new
Rio Tinto’s record on Bougainville is nothing to be proud of
reports SINCLAIRE SOLOMON

 
AS talks resurfaced in the past few weeks about re-opening the Panguna copper mine, so too have the critics of Bougainville Copper’s environmental record.
One of the most vocal critics is London-based activist and researcher Roger Moody.
“Tayloring a new Panguna mine for Bougainville,” was how he described the re-opening move being spearheaded by BCL chairman Peter Taylor who detailed the plans recently on Radio Australia in an in-depth interview.
According to Moody, the various comments Taylor made are breathtaking in their complacency.
The BCL chief had maintained that: “There was never any toxic material put (into the Jaba River below the mine site)”. He also claimed that: “Gold and copper were never produced at the mine; only a concentrate”.
Referring to accusations that cyanide was used in gold processing at the mine, Taylor adds: “(So) those sorts of chemicals were never used.” 
“This manifestly self-serving statement is disingenuous, to say the least,” Moody tells The National by email from London last week.
He says that while there has been no proof that Panguna used cyanide, the predominance of sulphides in its ore necessitated employing flotation technology to which the addition of enormous quantities of lime was essential.
“A report published by Applied Geology Associates of Australia in 1998 – a decade after militant actions by the nascent Bougainville Revolutionary Army closed down the Panguna mine – also pointed out that the copper concentrator had spewed out many thousands of tons of tailings each year which included toxic metals such as mercury, lead, zinc, cadmium, arsenic as well as residual lime.”
Taylor, he maintained, conveniently does not refer to the impacts of these tailings, dumped into the Jaba River system, as they reached the river’s outlet to the Empress Augusta Bay.
“No competent authority has doubted this resulted in massive sedimentation although for many years there has been scientific dispute over whether these wastes may be termed ‘toxic’ to marine life.”
In 1983, one authority declared that “Benthic (bottom dwelling) organisms are being continually smothered by tailings and even after mine closure they may continue to suffer because of toxic concentrations of copper in bottom and interstitial waters. Re-establishment of a bottom community may therefore be slow and limited”.
Another study, a year before which was commissioned by BCL itself warned: “There is evidence to suggest that levels of copper in interstitial waters of submarine tailings deposits (>166 ppm) will be toxic to more sensitive benthic organisms resulting in impaired recolonisation of tailings in the longer term by bottom dwelling animals”.
Moody notes that since no further scientific survey has been done on this aspect of the Panguna operations, it is impossible to judge whether such a disaster (to give it a realistic title) has in fact occurred..
“But that only serves to compound alarms that BCL may now be contemplating using submarine tailings ‘disposal’ (STD) should the mine re-open.”
Moody says in fact the option of piping tailings directly into the ocean is not a new one. This was mooted by BCL-Rio Tinto a quarter of a century ago,  proving to be one of the triggers for the first Bougainville revolt – one that became the most devastating mining-related conflict ever suffered by peoples in the South Pacific .
Moody championed the Panguna landowners’ cause in his 2007 book “Rocks and Hard Places”  where he maintains that Rio Tinto has never apologised for its wrongs on Bougainville where its prowess as the most diversified of global miners is based.
“The nearest it has come to contrition was an expression of vague regret for its stark neocolonial stripping of a huge copper and gold deposit on Papua New Guinea’s island of Bougainville.
“Leased in 1966, when the territory was under Australian control, and within six years the Panguna mine had become the most commercially successful of all the company’s operations.”
“Costs were savagely cut by dumping all the mine’s waste  (tailings) into the nearby (Jaba) river. By 1988 a few of the Panguna landowners, led by a former Rio Tinto mine worker, Francis Ona, demanded US$10 billion compensation for the ruination of their gardens, forests and waterways.
The company jeered at the claim and refused to negotiate. Ona stepped up a nucleonic “Bougainville Revolutionary Army”, declaring independence from PNG.
Backed by helicopter gunships, PNG troops invaded the island. In the bloody civil war that ensued up to a fifth of the island’s population (between 15,000 and 20,000 villagers),  many of them women and children, were to die before peace was reached in early 1998.
Rio Tinto belatedly confessed that it could have “done things otherwise” regarding Bougainville and, over the succeeding eight years, broadly hinted that it would never resume mining on the island.
Then in 2006, as copper and gold prices reached a record high, rumours began spreading through the mining media that the company was planning a possible return – it is now no longer a rumour.

 

 

18.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

 

Momis: Media is vital
By Joyce Tohui

AUTONOMOUS Bougainville Government (ABG) President John Momis says Bougainville really needs good sources of media and communication to get information to the people.
“Before the Bougainville conflict, we were one of the provinces in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with good media sources however this collapsed during the crisis,” he said.
In a speech during the presentation of K50,000 by the Papua New Guinea Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP) Limited to NBC Bougainville, Mr Momis said that with a lot happening in the region, the people must be informed of the changes and have their say on these issues.
He said as an autonomous government and the clock is ticking for referendum, the people of Bougainville must be made aware of what to come ahead and be prepared to accept these changes.
Mr Momis appealed to the media to feed the people with the right information and not mislead as Bougainville has a lot factions and groups that are yet to come together.
ABG minister for media and communication and Member for the Taonita/Tinputz constituency, Carolus Ketsimur spoke of the need for Bougainville to improve its media and communication systems.
“I believe that if good media and communication systems are installed in the region, this can improve the people’s standard of living, Bougainvilleans can have access to many things and know the outside world and also help children in schools,” he said.
Both the president and the minister voiced similar sentiments by congratulating the PNGSDP Limited for recognising the need for Bougainville to have a good media and communication system in place to help its people.

 

18.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

 

K35m hydro power project in Wakunai
By GORETHY KENETH

A PROPOSED K35 million hydro electricity project is being planned for Wakunai by the Papua New Guinea Sustainable Development Program.
The Togarao hydro project, as it is officially known, will be located at the upper catchment of the Wakunai River basin.
A heads of agreement was signed in 2007 by the then Chief Executive Officer of PNGSDP Robert Igara together with late ABG President Joseph Kabui and the landowners.
Extensive studies on the hydro power project have been carried out including environmental impact study to acquire an environment permit for construction and operation of the scheme.
The project to benefit up to 8000 people of Wakunai has a component comprising the construction of Togarao hydro power and the rehabilitation of 21 kilometres of road and construction of two bridges.
Joseph Bariamu, general manager engineering and operations of Western Power and his team were in Buka recently to present and update the ABD President John Momis and his team on the latter.
The project will run in three phases:
n Phase 1: The Civil Works including diversion works, headrace and spillway structure
n Phase 2: Construction of the 22kv Transmission line to Wakunai with extensions to be about five kilometres north-south of Wakunai and
n Phase 3: To be implemented at the tailend of phase 2. Installation of second 500kw hydro unit, construction of the remaining 22kv transmission line north to Uruai and south to Mabiri and associated LV lines and consumer connections
It will cost K35.34 million.

 

18.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

 

Bougainville gets textbooks
By Joyce Tohui

ACTING chief executive officer for the Bougainville education division, Michael Meten has thanked the European Union for supplying curriculum books for the teachers and students in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.’
“EU has come in a big way to help the schools in Bougainville and on behalf of parents, students and the schools boards of management I thank European Union and the people of Europe for supporting the program,” he said.
Mr Meten said the EU supplied 156,576 textbooks to schools in the region costing more than K4 million.
Speaking at the presentation of the textbooks on Monday, he told the gathering Bougainville was pleased to get the highest number of textbooks among other provinces in the New Guinea Islands region and this was something the people of the region must be proud and grateful for. He said these textbooks will boost students’ learning and will help the teachers in a big way to pass on knowledge to the students.
He also thanked the Education Department for its support and wished all well in the distribution of the books to schools in the region as there are rugged mountains and terrains to climb and rough seas to cross in order to reach many schools in very remote areas of Bougainville.
Meanwhile the manager for the National Education Media Centre, Hatsi Mirou challenged the administration officers from the Bougainville education division to ensure that all schools in Bougainville receive these textbooks.
She said that each school will receive 1, 2 or 3 books depending on the students’ enrolment records in the schools and urged teachers that these textbooks must remain in the classrooms and not be taken home by students.

 

18.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

 

Women leader calls for recognition of works
By JOYCE TOHUI

PRESIDENT of the Leitana Nehan Women’s Development Agency, Helen Hakena has called on the government and the people of Bougainville to recognise the work of women in Bougainville.
She said that the women of Bougainville were strong and vocal on peace during the conflict days which must be recognised.
Speaking at the International Women’s Day celebration earlier this month, she said Bougainville women had achieved a lot and must be proud in joining hands with the world countries to celebrate their achievements.
“Women of Bougainville have contributed a lot in the peace building and reconstruction of Bougainville leading to where it stands today,” she said.
She strongly urged the Bougainville women to be strong to protect their heritage and stand firm on their rights.
Mrs Hakena called on the government to recognise the work of women and always plan programs for young women of Bougainville as they must not be left out in the government plans because they are the future of Bougainville.
She urged the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) to help fund the programs of women in Bougainville.
Meanwhile she highly commended the ABG Government for recognising women by allocating three seats for women in the ABG House of Representatives.

 

17.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ABG Parliament sits
By Joyce Tohui

ABG Parliament today wraps up its three days of parliament sitting which started on Tuesday 15th March.
During parliament, various ministerial statements were presented including Education, Mining and Health.
Members of parliament and ABG Ministers were given opportunity to debate, question and discuss issues of development for the Autonomous region of Bougainville.
ABG President Chief JOHN MOMIS also informed parliament of his request to the Australian Government for financial assistance.
He said that there was urgent need for financial assistance over the next three to five years until Bougainville is able to generate more of its own revenues.
He elaborated that his request included $50 million to assist restore Arawa first as the economic hub and service delivery centre for Central Bougainville and secondly as the administrative capital of Bougainville, $5 million per year to assist the Bougainville Police Service over the next five years, $3 million for the capacity building of the public service, $3 million to assist engage experts to help the ABG in its options of mining in Bougainville and $2 million per year over the next five years to implement the ABG Atolls integrated development policy to resettle Carteret and other Atolls islanders on mainland Buka and Bougainville.
MR MOMIS said that in response to ABG’s continuous request for assistance from the Australian Federal Police to the Bougainville Police Service, the deputy Australian High Commissioner and an AFP senior liaison advisor are visiting Bougainville this week to identify the level of assistance that the BPS requires

 

17.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

ABG SUSPENDS PARLIAMENT
By Aloysius Laukai

 

The ABG House of Representative sitting was yesterday temporarily suspended to allow Tourists from Europe and Australia to visit the Parliament Chamber.

And the ABG House of Representative Speaker, ANDREW MIRIKI welcomed the visitors when they arrived at the KUBU Parliament House.

MR. MIRIKI told the visitors that Bougainville wants to promote tourism in the region and would welcome visitors to visit the region.

He told the tourists mainly elderly that Bougainville will continue to promote its activities and their visit was welcomed.

The tourists were very happy at the special given by Bougainville’s leadership.

The ABG Parliament sitting which started on Tuesday ended today.

New Dawn FM carried Live Broadcast from the Kubu Parliament House to its listeners in Buka town.

 

17.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MOMIS THANKS AUSTRALIA
By Joyce Tohui

ABG President Chief JOHN MOMIS says he was thankful of his recent visit to AUSTRALIA which gave him the opportunity to raise important issues regarding the implementation of the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
He made these remarks when presenting his ministerial statement to parliament on Tuesday this week.
He says his trip to AUSTRALIA accompanied by the ABG Deputy Administrator policy, RAYMOND MASONO was upon the invitation of the Australian Government.
MR MOMIS says they met with Australian NGOs, private sector, civil society groups and government officials including the Australian parliamentary secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, RICHARD MARLES who will be visiting Bougainville from March 28th to the 30th.
President MOMIS says that he was struck by the level of good will towards Bougainville and was amazed at the number of people being to Bougainville and interested in learning about Bougainville post-conflict progress and challenges.
He added that throughout his engagement with the Australians, he had emphasised that a stable progressive and prosperous Bougainville is important for regional peace.

 

 

17.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

 

MASAT RESIGNS
By Aloysius Laukai

As the countdown to the North Bougainville seat by election draws near the number of Intending candidates have been increasing whilst are quietly making their intentions known to the public.

In the ABG Parliament session this morning, the former Vice President and Minister for Justice and member for TONSU, EZEKIEL MASAT gave his resignation to the house.

MR. MASAT told the House that he had to resign from the ABG seat for Tonsu to contest the By Election.

He said that ABG needs the National Government and having a member working with the ABG was his number one priority.

MR. MASAT said that he is standing to the National Parliament because the current leaders were not assisting the ABG.

Nominations for the North Bougainville By-election open next Monday March 21st, 2011.

 

 

17.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

 

Sandline crisis . . . 14 years on

Retired and Former Commander of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force Major General Jerry Singirok MBE, reflects on the 1997 Sandline Crisis that grabbed the attention of the nation as well as the international community. His professional judgement at the time was critical. His conscience outweighed what was deemed as lawful executive order.

By Major General Jerry Singirok MBE (Rtd)

 

It has been fourteen years to this day when under my command as Commander Papua New Guinea Defence Force made a conscious decision, not only to abort the Sandline Contract “Contravene”, but also to expel Sandline mercenaries out of PNG and subsequently ask the then Prime Minister, his deputy and the Minister for Defence to resign.
Historians and many commentators have marked this event as a major crisis in PNG history. However in the main it was a result of series of blunders on the part of the executive arm of the Government and policy advisor who had far ulterior motives other than addressing genuine plea for increased benefits for the landowners and the Bougainville Provincial Government.
The result was a significant shift in the security decision making thus affecting national security within the context of protecting PNG’s national interest, subsequently unleashing the contract by the grieving party which was me as Commander and a handful of military hardliners who supported my opposition and successfully executed Operations “ Rausim Kwik”.
Upon reflection, it is disheartening to say the least that nothing has changed much since March 1997. From influx of illegal immigrants, lack of effective border security, and hegemonic tussles between the economic global giants, PNG continues to be an open and free playing field for investors and opportunists who by cohesion with our decision makers and respective agencies in the name of economic development ignore the plight of landowners and continue to generate uncertainties, frustrations thus creating a certain air of frustration throughout Papua New Guinea today.
Our era (1975-1997) was in the cold war era, where the military had to re-think and re-strategise new roles in Civil Military Affairs whereby the military if it had to justify its existence, must be restructured and re-trained into a military force that should be ready to assist during natural disaster, assist mainly in policing roles and contribution to international peace keeping and law enforcement.
It was therefore incumbent that those in position of command at that time understand the transition of a fighting force to a force for peace-making and the constraints and limitations it had was most daunting task for any military commander. This was the dilemma I had as Commander where the Papua New Guinea Defence Force was not tailored to fight a prolonged civil war against antagonists as it was not prepared, ill-equipped, lacked combat power which drastically affected the morale of the troops and most significantly lacked the political support. I had been a career soldier and attended one of the most prestigious and reputable military colleges where future Generals were bred. I have been privileged to be an exchange officer with the United States Army, British Army and was accorded a two year employment opportunity with the Australian Defence Force as a lecture in Military Arts and Tactics at the Land Warfare Centre. These exposures and professional training I received was an insurance that assisted me to take command of the Defence Force even at a prime age within the bounds of good command, leadership and stewardship based on strict military ethos based on empathy.
I will always mitigate and justify my actions regardless of public opinion and what lawyers and critics say. My professional judgement at the material time was critical where my conscience far outweighed what was deemed as lawful executive order to me were deemed unlawful superior orders because of the serious consequences of a military operations against thousands of innocent civilians.
The consequence of the actual military onslaught according to my professional judgment would result in a carnage that would have been devastating to include serious crimes against humanity and would have drawn global condemnation and possible indictment to the Hague to face War Crimes Tribunal for atrocities against thousands of innocent civilians.
The indictment would have included members of the National Security Council and me as Commander, as we would be deemed to be culpable for conducting surgical military operations. The experiences by Bougainvillians, Panguna landowners, royalty issues, the environmental damages and the lack of negotiation on their behalf by the National Government and the developer, Bougainville Copper Limited were critical issues that were not mitigated well.
The lessons of good governance which lacked wider community and professional consultation are still ambiguous even to this day. Investors with multibillion investments are flocking into PNG to exploit the people and the resources that are now becoming scarce globally regardless of community concerns.
Today foreign and commercial security companies have taken over national security functions it seems, a service reserved for state security forces with little or no government investment has been redirected to revitalise and revamp PNG’s own security forces. As a result of this neglect, the national security agencies have become defunct, disjointed, and operationally ineffective to protect PNG’s interest, sovereignty and security to say the least.
The concerns of lack of comprehension and understanding the issues of protecting national interest and security are appalling. It requires a government that puts the wellbeing of its citizen first before any other agendas. The law and order is escalating, HIV and AIDS is on an endemic rise, use of illegal guns, poverty is widespread, rural infrastructures are deteriorating or have deteriorated and the Government services of basic health and education had not been seen and accorded to many remote parts of PNG. The land border remains porous and the maritime boundaries and air space are not protected. Equally of significant concern is the environmental damages as a result of industrial waste by the multimillion investors are a force of destruction that has and will continue to affect and plague Papua New Guinea.
Really if we continue the trend in the next five years of neglect to our national security then we may as well have an open door policy where exploiters globally can help themselves to our God-given resources forcing the next generation to opt to resort to antagonism as seen globally where established regimes are being literally ousted by the mass.
It is too evident to see the parallels of what is happening in PNG today even after series of government came into power from 1997 onwards, except today there is tactfulness in the way large contracts are handled so as to suppress and distort public opinion. The landowners and the citizens always get the raw end of the deal.
Regrettably the lessons learnt from the engagement of Sandline mercenaries and Bougainville civil war is easily forgotten it seems. While Papua New Guinea continues to go down a path of self destruction based on omissions, self serving and false proclamation of the wealth creation for only a few, the reality is that the next generation of Papua New Guineas may turn out to be a generation of disgruntled, misfits, uneducated, city roamers who may see those in authority as tyrants, self serving and may decide to take up arms to engage in a prolonged armed resurrection against the Government, foreign investors and exploiters.
In any case this security quagmire scenarios anticipated in the coming decade would be very difficult to deal with as lessons in the past have never been learnt. It has always and will be the people’s call first for good governance while upholding our Constitution for the wellbeing of our citizens. It’s time to learn from the lessons learnt from Sandline in 1997 and correct them for the better.

 

 

17.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Bougainville gains pace on mine opening

THIS week two important and successful historical occasions happened in the history of Bougainville - the reconciliation of Me’ekamui Defence Force Commander Chris Uma with Bougainville Affairs Minister Fidelis Semoso and the meeting with another hardliner Moses Pipiro with the National Government departmental heads at Panguna.
For Bougainville the “first time meets” for the Bougainville Revolutionary Army and Me’ekamui hardliners with the National Government team and Mr Semoso who went out of his way to meet these rebels, has enabled the progress of the negotiations for the re-opening of the giant Panguna Mine.
Mr Semoso did a leisure drive out of Arawa town on his electoral visit to Panguna to see if he could have a chat with Mr Pipiro, the man who has been guarding the mine pit and Panguna for the last 10 to 20 years.
Over a buai, the two spoke as if they were never enemies or there was no problem.
Mr Pipiro completely shut himself from the outside, even his own ABG leaders over the outstanding issues surrounding the Panguna mine.
Last Monday, Mr Semoso made his way through and did the dirty work of getting Pipiro out of his hide out.
And 11 hours later Mr Semoso took with him a whole delegation of PNG departmental heads who flew in from Port Moresby to the region for the scoping of projects in preparation for the release of the promised one-off K500 million in five years to Bougainville.
The heads, led by Secretary of Mining Nellie James and Health Secretary Dr Clement Malau had breakfast up at the rebel’s brown coffee shop, all prepared by the families of Mr Pipiro and Philip Takaung, the Me’ekamui Government president.
And on Tuesday, Mr Semoso took another successful trip - to make him the first National MP to have Chris Uma come out, reconcile and straight away begin the mine talks on a personal level.
This in itself is a milestone for Bougainville which now has mining on Bougainville and especially the re-opening of the Panguna mine as a priority.
This was a historical moment for Bougainville, PNG and the international community is watching this issue.
The world can now breathe a sigh of relief because the feared rebel who mans the famous Morgan Junction, the gateway to the Panguna Mine has given the green light for the re-opening of the Panguna Mine.
But the re-opening of the mine will come with strings attached - like every other rebel needs - negotiations for compensation and the K10 billion issue.
Chris Uma, who took over as the commander of the Me’ekamui defence force up until the world renowned hardliner Francis Ona died in 2005, one of the factions that currently holds the key to total peace on Bougainville, for the first time in 10 years sat face to face with a Bougainville leader and a National Government Minister to reconcile, grieve and put forward his demands for the future of Bougainville.
The Mine talks can now begin and Bougainville can expect a progress in the peace process, weapons disposal and economic development at large.

 

17.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Panguna on the verge of rising up from demise

PANGUNA, the home of the now defunct multi-billion kina Bougainville Copper Limited has been covered with thick forest and remains of what was then the savaged 1989 crisis.
Since the closure of the giant Bougainville copper mine in 1989, the environment was reclaimed by beautiful but exclusive orchids, myriad colourful flowers, countless vegetables, especially the famous ’joko kumu” and very thick forests infested with bush animals.
What was also left were burnt down houses, naked buildings, a polluted Java river and a huge mine pit. This is not to mention the increased population of alluvial gold miners from all over Bougainville who make Panguna their home and those that have settled to find a way out of their criminal activities.
What happened 20 years ago, although history and long gone, is still fresh in the minds of those that held the place at heart.
But a new twist to the mine site is now an invitation to the National Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government from the rebel hardliners to make it a better place to live in, keep it clean until such time progress is made to speed up the negotiations and the re-opening of the Panguna Mine.
The Bougainville and Arawa Administration has made its way back into the mine site to revive their once high tech office and not only that, the place is now being maintained by trade store owners, alluvial gold miners and individuals who are struggling to making ends meet. There are close to 12 trade stores right from the Morgan Junction right through to the mine area and, there are two small guest houses that offer a small fee of K50 a night run by the Me’ekamui and a small transit area for tourists or those who can spend a night to enjoy the beauty of Panguna.
Rebel hardliners manning the mine site, and its nearby surroundings have indicated to the Minister for Bougainville Affairs and Trade and Regional Member for Bougainville Fidelis Semoso that they want police stationed at Panguna.

 

 

17.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Sisito plan to meet Dadae
By PETERSON TSERAHA

BOUGAIVNILLE’S former revolutionary hardliner now, Autonomous Bougainville Government Veterans Affairs Minister David Sisito wants an open dialogue with PNG Defence Minister Bob Dadae.
In the name of peace, Mr Sisito has requested the meeting to be held here on Bougainville in order to gain trust of former combatants.
The former rebel and now politician called on the Minister, his Secretary Billy Porakali and PNGDF General Francis Agwi to come to Bougainville to discuss how they can contribute to the region’s security, weapons’ disposal and compensation issues with the Bougainville executive council.
“I want us all to work together as one now, forget about the past burn the propaganda out and join hands for one Bougainville,” Mr Sisito said.
He said all the guns floating around on Bougainville are Papua New Guinea Defence Force issue excluding just a couple which were smuggled into the region from neighbouring Solomon Islands during the crisis.
“Our security here on Bougainville is now at stake, with sighting of illegal fishing vessels in our waters, and with illicit activities going on in the Solomon Islands border it is just beyond our control now,” Mr Sisito said.
He urged all Bougainvilleans that the PNGDF is not the enemy anymore now and they still take care of the nation’s security, because Bougainville is still incapable and premature when it comes to security.
“The right people to talk to about weapons disposal are the PNGDF they will have the appropriate data as to how many of their weapons were lost here on Bougainville, and when it comes to compensation where ever a claim arises for damaged or lost property they will have to verify before anything is paid to a claimant,” Mr Sisito said.
“With the absence of the army, false crisis claims are rising in an alarming rate and claims are being paid with public money without defence force verification. Illegal fishing vessels are now treating Bougainville waters as their home fishing ground with the absence of patrol boats in our waters.”
Mr Sisito has called on the Bougainville affairs ministry to also look into these arrangements and help where ever they can.

 

 

17.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Viewers want TV signal back
By ALEX MUNME

EMTV viewers in Buka are calling on the appropriate authorities including the Education Division to restore its service.
This service was introduced to them some years back until mid last year when it was cut off. Unconfirmed report received is that it was due to technical fault to its decoder and transmitter at Hahela Catholic station.
A young leader from Ieta village within the vicinity of Buka town raised this concern on behalf of the viewers in Buka last week. He said the introduction of this service was a great social development however its failure has deprived them an opportunity to the physical world outside.
He said it was an opportunity for them to see and hear for themselves what has been happening outside the region and around the world through sports, news and other educational programs. Students who do not attend classes due to wet weather and other reasons can still follow school TV programs at home through this service.

 

 

17.03.2011
Source: The National

ABG parliament ends session today

THE Autonomous Bougainville government (ABG) today wraps up its three-day of parliament sitting from March 15-17, at the ABG house of representatives in Buka.
During parliament, various ministerial statements were presented including education, mining and health, at which members of parliament and ABG ministers had the opportunity to debate, question and discuss issues of development for the autonomous region.
ABG president John Momis also informed the parliament on his recent visit to Australia which allowed him to request the Australian government financial assistance.
“The visit allowed me to put some specific request with regard to the need for urgent financial assistance over the next three to five years until we are able to generate more revenues ourselves,” Momis said.
He elaborated that request for assistance included;
* A$50 million to assist restore Arawa as the economic hub and service delivery centre for Central Bougainville and secondly, as the administrative capital of Bougainville;
* A$5 million per year to assist the Bougainville police service over the next five years;
* A$3 million for capacity building of the public service;
* A$3 million to assist engage experts to help the ABG in its options of mining; and
* A$2 million per year over the next five years to implement the ABG atolls integrated development policy to resettle Carteret and other atolls islanders on mainland Buka and Bougainville.
Momis further said that in response to ABG’s continuous request for Australian federal police assistance to the Bougainville police service (BPS), the deputy Australian High Commissioner and an AFP senior liaison advisor would visit Bougainville this week to identify the kind and level of assistance that the BPS requires.
“My strong view is that a properly resourced police service will contribute to the weapons disposal programme.
“When Bougainvilleans have confidence in the ability of the police service to protect lives and properties, they will no longer see the need to hold on to weapons,” Momis said.
He also informed the ABG parliament that following his visit to Australia, the Australian parliamentary secretary for Pacific island affairs Richard Marles would be visiting Bougainville from March 28-30.

 

 

17.03.2011
Source: The National

Bougainville thanks Australia

AUTONOMOUS Bougainville Government (ABG) President John Momis is thankful that his recent visit to Australia gave him the opportunity to raise important issues regarding the implementing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement, which Australia helped to broker.
He was accompanied by ABG deputy chief administrator policy Raymond Masono and protocol officer Willy Masiu upon the invitation of the Australian government.
They met with Australian NGOs, private sector, civil society groups and government officials including the Australian parliamentary secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Richard Marles who will be visiting Bougainville on March 28-30.
“I was struck by the level of goodwill towards Bougainville. Indeed I was amazed at the number of people who had been to Bougainville in one capacity or another and who are interested in learning about Bougainville’s post conflict progress and challenges.”
He added that throughout his engagement with the Australians, he had emphasised that a stable progressive and prosperous Bougainville was important for regional peace.

 

 

17.03.2011
Source: The National

Government team visits Bougainville

 
SEVERAL departmental heads from the national government are in Bougainville this week to collect information as a follow-up to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the draw-down of powers from state to ABG signed at the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting last month in Port Moresby.
The delegation consisted of secretaries for Works, Mining and Geohazards and Health, directors for the departments of Agriculture and Livestock, Forestry, Education, Lands, Border Development Authority and also officials from  Teaching Service Commission.
Headed by the national coordination office for Bougainville affairs (NCOBA), the team will visit various sites of interest including Kieta port, Buin hospital, Kangu border post, Panguna district office and Haku High school.
NCOBA director Ellison Towallom said this was the first of many such study visits for the government to work closely with the Bougainville government.
“Essentially we are here in preparation for a number of JSB resolutions to be implemented over the next couple of years.
“Some of the departments have signed MoUs during the JSB.
“These signed MoUs are not going to collect dust. We are here to implement them,” Towallom said.

 

17.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Tourist Boat Visits
By Aloysius Laukai

The Ocean Discoverer a Tourist Boat from Cairns Australia stopped for Five Hours in Buka yesterday.
Pictured is the Ship anchored outside Sohano Island.

 

 

 

16.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Breakthrough
By Gorethy Kenneth

ANOTHER break through has been achieved! The Me’ekamui hardliners, guarding the heart of the Panguna mine have agreed the mine should be re-opened but want three major issues addressed.
Me’ekamui rebel hardliner Moses Pipiro and his team, Philip Takaung, Robin Tekapu and the Me’ekamui chiefs met with the Papua New Guinea leaders in Panguna yesterday to present their grievances for a possible solution to end the economic strife for the islanders.
Bougainville Affairs Minister Fidelis Semoso made a friendly visit to Panguna on Monday afternoon to see if he could have his way in meeting Pipiro and his team. The meeting was successful which eventually led to the big meeting with PNG departmental heads led by Mining Secretary Nellie James and National Coordination office of Bougainville Affairs director Ellison ToWallom.
Mr Pipiro who denied any involvements at all on mining meetings, agreements and discussions said he wants and will support the re-opening of the mine but not until these three issues are addressed:
* Outstanding reconciliations;
* K10 billion compensation; and
* Mining negotiations.
“For 25 years I’ve been here guarding this area. I’ve seen leaders die, many people lost their lives and I have been left out on mining awareness, agreements and other negotiations. I want to highlight the important claims which caused the war and they are to preserve the land and environment and about independent and sovereignty,” Mr Pipiro said.
“We have to balance the life of people, we need basic services ... and there is a way forward to economic recovery for Bougainville ... I’ve had sleepless nights because of this war. Step by step I want other important issues addressed which are outstanding reconciliations, compensation and land.
“I don’t see a problem working together in Bougainville. We’ve never been given the opportunity to speak and the ABG has not stood to provide an avenue for us to speak. We want unification and equal participation from the grassroots level to the leaders.”
Mr Takaung who is heading the Me’ekamui government stressed to the leaders that they also want the mine to re-open but the ABG should exercise a bit more commitment to deal with this mining issue so that they too will have a share and avenue to discuss their concerns.
Ms James acknowledged the rebels’ concerns and assured that the National Government was committed to help the ABG and advised that there were issues to address and thanked them for making time to meet them.

 

16.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Militants clear one hurdle for mine to reopen

BREAK through? That is what the reaction is in relation to a meeting on Monday this week in Panguna between militant hardliners in Bougainville and a delegation of heads of Government departments from PNG that visited the closed mine at the weekend.
The delegation also met with members of the breakaway self-styled Bougainville Government, Me’ekamui and its militants who say they have kept watch over the closed world class copper mine in Panguna since operator Bougainville Copper Limited mothballed and eventually closed the mine at the height of the bloody Bougainville crisis in 1989.
The Government delegation led by Bougainville Affairs Minister and Bougainville Regional MP Fidelis Semoso met Me’ekamui rebel hardliner Moses Pipiro and president of the Me’ekamui Government Philip Takaung and chiefs of Panguna.
Pipiro and Takaung, in the meeting apparently gave their blessing for the reopening of the Panguna mine but set some conditions on this happening. They want reconciliation to be carried out among all groups in Panguna, to be involved in mining negotiations and K10 billion in compensation for the Panguna people.
It is encouraging that one more hardline group has given its seal of approval for mining to reopen in Bougainville. The Panguna landowners have given their approval. In a series of meetings last month, the landowners recognised the need for mining to resume in Panguna as it’s the only means forward for Bougainville.
Since autonomy over five years ago, the region has hardly moved forward in development and the rebuilding of infrastructure needed to nurture economic activity that will promote growth and eventually economic independence.
Autonomous Bougainville Government President John Momis has taken a number of overseas trips to woo investors from overseas to Bougainville or at least seek and set up partnerships to bring in much needed money to try and propel the region forward. Two weeks ago he was in Australia on a trip sponsored by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
He held discussions on a number of issues with the Australian Government, especially with the Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and the Secretary for Pacific Affairs to brief them on the challenges, the financial challenges, the administrative challenges and the challenges of creating a culture of “democratisation” in Bougainville and the challenges of empowering the people economically. The trip was for him to garner support and appeal for more Australian help in Bougainville.
He also held talks with BCL. Like the landowners, BCL is agreeable to mining being reopened on Bougainville. BCL which operated and owns the mining licence for the closed Panguna Copper is open to discussions on reopening the mine and is open minded about the future.
BCL chairman Peter Taylor says a lot depends on the permit because it was as good as starting again.
He expects there will be a new regime and it will be administered by the Bougainville government rather than the National Government
He expects a feasibility study, that is acceptable to lenders, has to be carried out. This usually takes about a year and is a expensive process. New royalty schemes have to be negotiated and while BCL supports reopening of the mine, it is not committed to saying when this will happen with Taylor giving a time frame of three to five years.
But all that aside … it is looking good on the ground … everyone is talking the same language.

 

 

16.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Warrant out for vessel’s captain
By GRACE TIDEN

A bench warrant has been issued by the National Court in Kokopo for the arrest of the skipper of the oil tanker that fled Rabaul harbour two months ago.
Captain Moe Hein did not appear yesterday at the National Court trial sitting in Kokopo. He left months ago for Singapore soon after he was granted bail.
Kokopo residential judge Justice Salatiel Lenalia issued the bench warrant and also granted an application by State lawyers for the bail monies of K100,000 to be forfeited to the State. No one was there to represent the captain as lawyers from Warner Shand Lawyers had filed a notice to cease to act on the captain’s behalf last month.
Captain Moe Hein, 44 of Yangon in Myanmar was charged with one count of stealing 8194.67 metric tonnes of fuel oil belonging to the State worth K14,500,030 last year in Bougainville. The Norwegian-run and Singapore-based oil tanker UBT Fjord, owned by shipping corporation Thome was believed to have been hired by a firm to pick up the oil which was stored at Loloho wharf during pre-crisis days and allegedly sold by ex-combatants, according to a report in The Australian newspaper. The boat was on its way to Singapore when it was seized by authorities and brought to Rabaul.
However, the vessel escaped in January despite a court order in force to keep it under PNG jurisdiction with shipping agent officers now before the court for allegedly aiding the escape of the oil tanker.
Police will now have to make diplomatic arrangements for the arrest of Hein, who is believed to be in Singapore, as there is no extradition treaty between the two countries.
East New Britain police boss Superintendent Sylvester Kalaut said they tried getting Interpol in Singapore to impound the vessel but the boat and the crew had not committed any offence under Singaporean laws.
He said PNG has lost everything in this case. “We lost everything,” he said. “How are we going to get this person and the oil back. This now makes the job for police very difficult,” he said.

 

16.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

K10m for risk allowances

THE National Government has already allocated K10 million to the Autonomous Bougainville Government to pay for its public servants’ outstanding risk allowances.
The issue of risk allowances came about when police and other disciplinary forces with support from serving public servants raised concerns to the Government to pay them for rendering services under difficult circumstances.
The Public Employees Association made a submission to the Bougainville and the National Governments in 2004 claiming millions of kina. The National Government approved the submission and funding has now been made available for payout.
Teachers of Kieta Primary School raised the issue with the Bougainville Affairs Minister Fidelis Semoso and advised they had been waiting for a long time.
Mr Semoso told the teachers and students yesterday the National Government had allocated and released the K10 million for the payout.
Mr Semoso said the onus was now on the Bougainville PEA executives to explain to all the public servants of the region what the delay was.
ABG officials said yesterday those responsible for the issue still had to finalise the data, rates and list of all those public servants, some of whom had died and those who had resigned while others were retrenched.

 

 
16.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

EU Trade Minister to visit PNG

For the first time since the establishment of relations between the EU and PNG back in 1977, a EU Trade Commissioner will visit PNG.
He has the rank and responsibilities of a Trade Minister. Mr Karel De Gucht will stop in Port Moresby on March 21 on his way back to Europe from his visit to Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. He will meet several stakeholders to support the new Economic Partnership Agreement with the region covering duty-free, quota-free access to EU markets for goods.
“PNG is the country in the Pacific with the highest potentials in economic and trade terms”, said Commissioner De Gucht before leaving Brussels.
“The Economic Partnership Agreement we have concluded with PNG and Fiji is a key element in our partnership with the Pacific Region. I look forward to concrete steps for turning the agreement into reality now.
This will bring real benefits to small businesses and rural areas. At the same time, and while we negotiate a comprehensive agreement with the whole region, the door is open to other countries to join in the agreement”.
The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with PNG and Fiji, is, together with the EPA with the Caribbean, the only EPA where the process of adoption has been completed and that is now due for implementation. The EU has opened its market completely and PNG has also to take the necessary technical steps, such as dismantling tariffs. For this EPA to deliver benefits to rural areas and small businesses it will be closely associated with development assistance for economic activities at sub-national level.
The Agreement was initialled in 2007, and then signed in 2009 by PNG and Fiji. It was already provisionally in force since the end of 2009. It grants unconditional duty-free/quota-free access to EU markets, while committing PNG and Fiji to an asymmetric opening of their markets.
On top of this, the EPA ensures particularly favourable conditions to Pacific countries in terms of rules of origin for fisheries (“global sourcing”).
The EU keeps negotiating a regional comprehensive EPA with all the 14 Pacific ACP countries.
Total Pacific ACP-EU trade in 2008-2009 was around €1 billion with a significant trade surplus of over €500 million for Pacific ACP states. However, their share of EU imports and exports is very small – around 0.06% and 0.02% respectively.
The Pacific’s most important export products to the EU are animal and vegetable oils, sugar, coffee, tea & spices, and copper. The EU’s main exports are mechanical machinery, electrical machinery, vehicles and oil.
PNG and Fiji are the EU’s main trading partners – together they comprise 83% of total EU-Pacific trade volumes.

 

 

16.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

 
Sir Rabbie quits public life after 40 yrs
By GRACE TIDEN

STATESMAN and former prime minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu has resigned as Chancellor of the University of Natural Resources and Environment (formerly Vudal University).
Sir Rabbie said in a statement that his resignation marked a significant milestone in his career as, for the first time in close to 40 years he no longer held any public office.
“Since my first appointment as principal private secretary in the office of the first Chief Minister in the early 1970s, I have held public office or served in the public service,” said Sir Rabbie. “My resignation means that the long period, including the period covering a quarter of a century in the National Parliament and service as prime minister, minister and speaker of the National Parliament, has come to an end.”
The former PM said since leaving Parliament after the 2007 election, he had been privileged to serve as Chancellor of the UNRE. “I am proud of what has been achieved in growing the university...,” said Sir Rabbie.
He would now spend more time on his private sector work and other interests.
“I believe I can continue to contribute to the nation by my work in the private sector which includes positions of chairman of Kramer Ausenco, chairman of Kina Asset Management and chairman of Kina Securities Ltd and director of Marengo Mining Limited,” Sir Rabbie said.
He said he believed his work on the boards of these companies contributing to the development of the nation and the growth of the private sector would enable him to continue to serve the community but in a different capacity.

 

 

15.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BOUGAINVILLE STRONG WOMEN
BY JOYCE TOHUI

 

President of the local NGO group, Leitana Nehan Women’s Development Agency, HELLEN HAKENA spoke highly of Bougainville women being strong and vocal in many political issues in the region.

She made these remarks during the international women’s day celebration this month.

She says Bougainville women have achieved a lot and thanked the ABG government for allocating three seats for women in parliament.

She strongly urged the Bougainville women to be strong to protect their heritage and stand firm on their rights.

MRS HAKENA calls on the government to recognize the work of women and always plan programs for young women.

She says young women must not be left out in the government plans because they are the future of Bougainville.

 

15.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

THANKYOU EU
BY JOYCE TOHUI

Acting CEO for the Bougainville Education Division, MICHAEL METEN sincerely thanked EU for their generous support to supply curriculum books for teachers and students of Bougainville.

He says the European Union has come in a big way to help the schools in Bougainville and thanked the people of Europe to support the program.

He made these remarks during the handover ceremony of the textbooks at the education conference room yesterday.

MR METEN says the total number of EU textbooks given to schools in the region is about one hundred and fifty-six thousand five hundred and seventy-six at the costs of over K4 million.

He says Bougainville is pleased once again as it receives the highest number of textbooks in the New Guinea Islands region.

He also thanked the National Education department for their support and wished all well in the distribution of these books to all schools in the region.

 

 

15.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

FOLLOW UP ON MOUs
BY JOYCE TOHUI

 

A powerful delegation representing departmental heads from the National Government arrived in Bougainville yesterday and will be here for a few days.

Delegation team leader and the Director for NCOBA, ELLISON TOWALOM says some of his team members have signed MOUs during the last JSB meeting and are here to follow up on these MOUs.

He says the MOUs are not to collect dusts but they are here to implement them.

He believes that there are some more MOUs ready to be signed which is works and the police.

MR TOWALOM says his delegation is here on an assignment even for a few days to get cracking information on these MOUs to report back to their political masters.

Meanwhile the team paid a courtesy call on the ABG President Chief JOHN MOMIS to brief him on their visit.

The delegation left for Arawa yesterday afternoon continuing on to South Bougainville.

 

 

15.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MALARIA WORKSHOP
By Aloysius Laukai

Population Service International which carries out Malaria Awareness programs in Papua New Guinea is running a One-Day Malaria Training workshop for Media personnel at the LAMANA Hotel in Port Moresby.
The aim of the workshop is to work with media organisations in Papua New Guinea to carry out awareness of the killer disease that continues to the number one killer in Papua New Guinea.
The one-day program is scheduled for Tuesday 15th March 2011.
The training will introduce Newspaper Editors and Radio DJs to the cause of Malaria, malaria transmission, prevention techniques and the socio economic burden malaria poses.
It will also showcase the work towards preventing and Controlling Malaria presently being done by the National Department of Health, PSI and Rotarians Against Malaria as funded by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
It could be a start of a long and fruitful relationship with the PNG Media.
PSI did several trainings on Buka island in December last year and in Buin, South Bougainville in January this year.
New Dawn FM is being represented by its Manager, ALOYSIUS LAUKAI.
New Dawn FM has been running similar programmes since last year with the support by Commonwealth of Learning based in Vancouver Canada.

 

15.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

WOMEN MUST BE RECOGNISED
BY JOYCE TOHUI

President of the Leitana Nehan Women’s Development Agency, HELEN HAKENA calls on the government to recognize the work of women in Bougainville.

She says Bougainville women were very vocal on peace during the conflict days which must be recognized.

She made these remarks during the celebration of the international women’s day early this month.

MRS HAKENA says women have contributed a lot in the peace building and reconstruction of Bougainville leading to where it stands today.

She urged the ABG government to help fund the programs of women in Bougainville.

 

 

15.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MOMIS ON MEDIA
BY JOYCE TOHUI

ABG President Chief JOHN MOMIS says Bougainville really needs good sources of media and communication to give information to the people.

He says before the Bougainville conflict, Bougainville was one of the provinces in PNG with good media sources but it collapsed during the crisis.

He made these remarks at Hani’s inn last Friday during the presentation of the fifty thousand kina cheque given by PNGSDP limited to NBC Bougainville.

MR MOMIS says with a lot of happenings taking place in the region, the people must be well informed of the changes and have their say on it.

He appeals to the media to give rightful message to the people and not misleading.

 

15.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BOUGAINVILLE NEEDS COMMUNICATION SERVICES
BY JOYCE TOHUI

ABG Minister for media and communication, CAROLUS KETSIMUR spoke of the need that Bougainville needs to improve its media and communication systems.

He says if good communication systems are installed in the region, this can improve the people’s standard of living.

He adds Bougainvilleans can have access to many things and know the outside world and also help children’s learning in schools.

MR KETSIMUR made these remarks last Friday at Hani’s inn in Buka.

Minister KETSIMUR congratulated the PNG Sustainable Development Program for recognizing the need for Bougainville to have a good media and communication system in place to help its people.

 

 

15.03.2011
Source: The National

Sir Rabbie joins BCL

 

SIR Rabbie Namaliu, who was prime minister at the height of the Bougainville crisis in 1988, has been appointed a director on the board of Bougainville Copper Ltd.
The appointment was announced last Wednesday by BCL chairman Peter Taylor, who, days earlier, had met with Bougainville President John Momis to discuss the possibility of opening the Panguna copper mine.
Sir Rabbie will become a member of Bougainville Copper’s audit committee, which under the Australian Securities Exchange rules, has responsibility for governance and the rights of shareholders.
It will be among his duties as a non-executive director,
As prime minister in 1988-92, he was often criticised for the deaths of hundreds of civilians in Bougainville.
Taylor said the company was delighted by Sir Rabbie’s acceptance of the invitation to join the board.
“The former prime minister is a distinguished statesman and a committed Papua New Guinean, with ministerial experience in foreign affairs and trade, treasury, primary pndustry, petroleum and energy and other areas of government responsibility.
“He holds directorships of several other Papua New Guinea companies, and is a member of the PNG Institute of Directors.
“We welcome the addition of his experience and judgement to the decision-making processes of BCL, at a time of great challenge and opportunity,” he said.
Taylor said it was expected that Sir Rabbie’s appointment would be endorsed by shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting next month.
Subject to election by shareholders at the AGM, directors normally serve for a term of three years, after which they can offer themselves for re-election.
Sir Rabbie’s is a non-executive director of Marengo Mining Ltd, a non-executive director of Kina Securities Ltd and chairman of the publicly listed investment company Kina Asset Management Ltd..
Last February he was appointed chairman of Kramer Ausenco, a new joint venture of PNG engineering company Kramer (PNG) Ltd  and Ausenco of Australia.

 

15.03.2011
Source: The National

UN Women hold talks in Buka
By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

WOMEN in Autonomous Region of Bougainville celebrated 100 years of international women’s day last Tuesday by participating in a consultative workshop hosted by UN Women, a United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women.
The UN Women consultations held in Buka town for the day, involved women representatives from the public and private sectors as well as faith-based organisations and groups such as the Bougainville Women Federation and Haku Womens Collective (HWC).
Discussions were based on questions such as what should be the focus of UN Women’s work in PNG over the next two to three years and what recommendations could Bougain­ville women give to UN Women to improve its support to PNG.
HWC, in response, emphasised on the need to obtain international and neutral assistance in chairing of community forums throughout Bougainville to address the issue of courtship and marriages.
The group added that Bougainville urgently required birth and death registries with cause of death established to be placed on death certificates for human security.
“This is to prevent sorcery killings through suspicions of sorcery which often targeted elderly women and people with disabilities.”
UN Women national programme specialist and country programme coordinator Julie Bukikun assured the women that all issues raised and recommendations put forth would be presented to the UN Women management.
“We reaffirm our commitment to work with you and the Autonomous Bougainville Government and we will assist where we can,” Bukikun said.

 

 

14.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

EU companies eye PNG partnerships
By OSEAH PHILEMON

COMPANIES in Europe are showing increasing interest in investment opportunities in Papua New Guinea, a business consultant has revealed to Lae businesses.
David Fenning is a consultant with the European Union under its Private Sector Development Project.
He is currently in PNG having discussions with chambers of commerce and other relevant authorities about the possibility of establishing a business centre in the country for
European businesses.
The centre would act as the focal point for information on businesses opportunities in the country for EU companies as well as for Papua New Guinean companies looking for
partnerships with companies in the European Union. Mr Fenning has held discussions with business executives in Madang, Port Moresby and last Friday in Lae. He said his job was
only to gather as much information as he could and then write a report for the European Uninon to make its own decision as where it wanted to set up the centre.
Lae Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Alan McLay told Mr Fenning that Lae city was the most central location being the industrial capital of Papua New Guinea and the
European Union should seriously look at the establishing the centre in the Morobean capital.
Mr McLay said Lae was also cheaper particularly in terms of rental for accommodation which remained relatively cheaper than Port Moresby.

 

14.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Sankamap radio gets funding boost

ONE of Papua New Guinea’s oldest radio station — Maus Bilong Sankamap — received a timely K50,000 funding from the PNG Sustainable Development (PNGSDP) yesterday.
PNGSDP director Don Manoa and his team of executives arrived in Buka yesterday to present the funding to the Autonomous Bougainville Government, led by President John Momis.
The team was also in Buka doing a presentation on a multi-million kina Togarao hydro-electric project to Mr Momis and his team of ABG.
The funding will go towards purchasing and renovation of the shortwave radio transmitter so that the whole of Bougainville can tune into the provincial station for information and awareness programs.
“We are happy to provide funding for initiatives such as this that contribute towards social development of rural and remote communities,” Mr Momis said.
“Although PNGSDP’s funding component towards purchasing the radio transmitter (K50,000) is not as significant as other projects supported in Bougainville, the level of impact is still very high considering the 250,000 people of Bougainville will benefit from the programs broadcasted daily.
“PNGDSP is proud to be able to once again support an important project in Bougainville. Other projects are currently underway in Bougainville.
“I am aware that Radio Bougainville (Maus Bilong Sankamap) is one of the oldest radio stations in PNG, commencing services in Kieta from 1967 until the time of the conflict (1988-1990).
“I can only imagine that the restoration of Radio Bougainville’s services in Buka in 1991 was welcome news for all and to this day has been an important source of communication for communities in north, central and south Bougainville including the atolls of Mortlock, Fead and Tasman, as well as around PNG and the Solomon Islands. I understand that unfortunately, without a functioning shortwave radio transmitter for almost a year, most of these areas have been reached.”

 

14.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Elites set foundation
By PORENI UMAU

THE devastating handiworks of climate change on island communities in PNG has caused one affected island group to set an organisation to address their ordeal.
The Mortlock Islanders in North Bougainville have set up a foundation to address the rising sea level woes faced by their island folk and also neighbouring islanders, Fead and Tasman.
With little or no government input or plans to help the affected islanders, elites from the Mortlock Islands have set up the TeMarae Development Foundation (TMDF) to help their affected relatives.
TMDF Chairman Telavika Faite said the foundation was set up in 2009 and registered under the Investment Promotion Authority with a membership of more than 100 Mortlock Islanders living in PNG, Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Fiji and other Pacific Islands.
Mr Telavika said their people have long remained silent trying to tackle the forces against them on their own and TMDF was a way forward where many of these members would contribute to come up with initiatives to address, transportation, education, food, water, health, communication and many necessary services no longer found on the islands.
He said that the foundation was not set up to be seen as an agency where money would be donated to help the people but to bring positive methods on how to address conflicting issues.
He said for too long the Mortlock Islanders and their two neighbouring islands have been given “lip service” by the Autonomous Bougainville Government, the North Bougainville administration and the Government.

 

 

14.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Minister thanks WB
By JOYCE TOHUI

MINISTER for Community Development, Women, Youth, Churches, NGOs and Sports in the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), Rose Pihei gratefully thanked the World Bank for the grant of K6 million given to help the women of Bougainville.
Ms Pihei said the World Bank grant of K6 million for ‘’Inclusive Development in Post-Conflict Bougainville’’ has come at a time when Bougainville needs an infusion of funds for women’s development programs which include the civil society groups in Bougainville.
‘’I am very grateful that the World Bank has seen it fit to make available funding at the Provincial or an Autonomous Region Level,’’ she said.

 

 

14.03.2011
Source: The National

Panguna landowners back Momis

PANGUNA landowners have thrown their support behind President John Momis in his bid to re-open the Bougainville copper mine at the earliest opportunity to prop the autonomous region’s economy.
Interim chairman of Panguna Landowners Association Chris Damana said over the weekend that the landowners were aware of what the president was doing to get the autonomous region back on a credible economic footing.
“On behalf of my people, I want to congratulate our president’s efforts in talking to our friends in Australia during his visit there and his meeting with the chairman of Bougainville Copper Ltd, Peter Taylor.
“From the media reports, our president has handled the issue of re-opening Panguna mine with caution, bearing in mind that we have certain sections in our community who oppose the idea of a re-opening.
“As a leader, I believe our president and Minister for Bougainville Affairs and Trade Fidelis Semoso have both made the right decision to re-open the mine.
“My people of Panguna will fully support our two leaders and all reasonable-thinking Bougainvilleans should also support them.”
Damana praised Momis for arranging a meeting of think-tanks, both from within the country and overseas, to assist in mapping out the future of the region.
Momis had also requested the Australian government to support Bougainville with an annual aid.

 

 

13.03.2011
Source: ESBC Research / BBC World News

 

ESBC press release 20110313

Japan continues to support countries in development!

In an interview with BBC World News on Sunday, Mr. Noriyuki Shikata, the spokesman of Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan, confirms   that there will not be any cancelation of Japanese support for countries in development as a consequence of the giant earthquake that struck Japan on last Friday.

Actually Japanese aid helps Bougainville to improve the island's infrastructure by building bridges between Buka and Arawa.

 

The European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper (ESBC)  welcome the promise of the Japanese government: "We ask all Bougainvilleans to be grateful for the Japanese's generosity and not to impede their work by committing criminal acts like stealing cars or any other aggression as in the past."

 

 

12.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

UPDATE ON TSUNAMI
by Aloysius Laukai

 

Town residents from Buka Town moved to higher grounds yesterday evening untill this morning..Nothing happened...everything is back to normal.

 

 

11.03.2011   10:30 UTC

Source: ESBC Research

 

Tsunami Threatens Bougainville and the Atolls

 

A giant tsunami wave is supposed to strike Bougainville and the nearby atolls this evening. The Carteret islands and Mortlock islands may be severely damaged. Even Buka, Tinputz and the Arawa region may suffer destruction on their coast line. The tsunami results from a major 8.9 earthquake off Japan. Urgent tsunami warnings were published for the whole Pacific region.

 

 

11.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Exchange losses cut BCL net profit
By MOHAMMAD BASHIR

Bougainville Copper’s net profit for year 2010 was K2.8 million ($A1.1 million) in comparison to the company’s 2009 profit was K8.7 million ($A4.3 million).
Operating expenses in this reporting period were in line with the budget save for exchange losses of K5.9 million.
A small net profit instead of an expected loss was due to better than expected income from interest and dividends and realised capital gains on disposal of investments. The tax dispute
legal fees continue to be a drain on revenue.
According to BCL’s annual report, due to the small profit and the need to preserve cash for future development the company will not pay a dividend.
Bougainville Copper’s liquid assets continue to be cash and Australian equities.
The Australian equity market has performed better than in the previous reporting period resulting in improved returns on investments.
It is intended to continue with the current investment strategy, whilst the Investment committee deems this to be the best option or until such time as equities need to be sold to fund
mine planning and development.
It is expected that income for 2011 should improve in terms of percentage returns but the size of the investment portfolio has been reduced as a result of paying funds into court relating to the tax dispute discussed below. The company has sufficient funds to cover its recurrent expenditure under the current plan.
By way of background to the dispute, mining operations were suspended in 1989 resulting in considerable losses to the company and these losses continue to mount.
In line with normal practice the company offset those losses against revenue as well as claiming depreciation of its remaining mine assets. Despite this approach being accepted by the
Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) every year since the suspension of mining operations a targeted IRC audit resulted in reassessments being issued.
The basis for the reassessment is that Bougainville Copper has no assets that can be depreciated. Bougainville Copper has taken expert legal and accounting advice and based on that advice lodged
formal objections to the amended assessments. The company paid approximately K13 million to the IRC during the 2007 year (which is close to the claimed unpaid primary tax) as a result of the IRC issuing Garnishee notices on the company’s bank accounts.
A further K48.8 million was paid to the Supreme Court on behalf of the IRC during the 2010 year under the terms of a court-sanctioned arrangement to place the IRC in possession of
funds sufficient to pay all outstanding assessments, penalties and interest claimed by the IRC.
This arrangement also ensures that those funds are available for return to Bougainville Copper in the event that the company’s challenges to the assessments are ultimately upheld by
the courts.
This money is invested and is bearing interest. The principal and interest will be returned to the company should it prevail in the substantive tax appeal.
The board took the view that it was in the company’s interest to pay the claimed amount into court rather than litigate this part of the dispute with likely high associated legal fees
and so that the disputed amount would earn interest. This would not be the case if the IRC succeeded in its “pay now litigate later” action.
By far the largest part of the claim is for penalties and interest and Bougainville Copper believes that the imposition of such penalties is unconstitutional and not in accordance with
law. BCL’s substantive tax appeals against the assessments and other amounts claimed has completed discovery and is waiting on directions aimed at fixing a trial date.

 

 

11.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Movie star visits Kamarau school in Buka
By Alex Munme

“The Whale Rider,” I guess many of you have watched this movie on CDs and maybe TV.
If you did then, what was the name of the old man who acted as Paekea’s grandfather?
The students and staff of Kamarau International School in Buka can answer this question now.
He is Rawari Faratene who visited their school yesterday.
The students and teachers had that opportunity yesterday when the actor visited their school.
The visit was organised when he met them at the school after lunch.
In the meeting the students asked questions on the movie “The Whale Rider” and received amazing response from the actor.
One student asked if the girl was riding on a real whale and the actor explained how it was made to look like a real one.
Mr Faratene when answering their questions revealed the secrets behind the filming of the movie and the New Zealand Maori culture and belief in relation to whales and nature in
general.
The actor explained the movie was based on their culture and it was the legend of Paekea who was in trouble in the ocean and was brought back to land by their ancestor – the whale.
He said because they believe that whales are their ancestors they never hurt or hunt them.
When a whale dies, every part of it is useful, not one bit is wasted. They would let it rot away to feed nature and scavengers. The bones would be used for weapons and so on.
The movie was filmed in 2001 and was popular around the world.
The girl Paekea who acted out the main character was nominated for the Oscar Academy Awards.
The visit ended with a short speech from student Leonardo Toliken and a Kamarau school cap as a souvenir for Mr Faratene.

 

11.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Buka crash claims one
By Alex Munme

A RISING rugby league star from Buka has died and 15 others were admitted to the Buka General Hospital after a nasty accident on Wednesday night in Buka.
Three of the five who sustained major injuries are fighting for their lives at the hospital while others with minor cuts and bruises where treated and released.
A truck carrying about 23 players and officials from one of Bougainville’s top rugby league clubs, the Tsitalato Warriors, ran over the cliff on Hangan mountain on Buka Island.
Police and Buka Hospital doctors told the Post-Courier the truck allegedly encountered problems climbing the mountain.
Police claimed the driver of the truck was climbing in high gear with a full load and halfway up failed to quickly shift to low gear causing the truck to roll back and topple over the  cliff.
Warriors’ coach Raymond Gimots, who was with the players at the time of the accident, said when the players realised they were going to go over the cliff, they started jumping out of the truck.
Some of them were still in the truck when it landed at the bottom of the cliff, Mr Gimots said.
The 22-year-old who was killed was one of those who jumped out of the truck but into the path of the vehicle which had gone out of control.
The vehicle ran over him around the thighs and abdomen and he died around midnight at the Buka General Hospital.
The Warriors, who are grand finalists in the Bougainville Rugby League pre-season grand final in Arawa this weekend will not make it for the game following the horrible accident.
Coach Gimots told the Post-Courier it is a pity the team cannot make it for the grand final in Central Bougainville – as they were the winners in the last match.
This is the pre-season league, which will see team selection to take part in the PNG Rugby League season under the Bougainville banner.
Meanwhile, president of the Bougainville Rugby League Micah James has identified a train on squad and training will commence next week.
A final team will then be selected to represent Bougainville in the NGI 9s Challenge in Kokopo at the end of this month.
It is the first time in the history of sports in PNG that a sports team has been involved in a nasty road accident.

 

 
11.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Mortlock group appeals for help
By PORENI UMAU

THE National and Autonomous Bougainville governments have been put on notice for turning a blind eye to the plight of the Mortlock Islanders.
TeMarae Development Foundation (TMDF), an organisation set up by elites from the sinking atolls to help their more than 1500 affected relatives back on the island, revealed that the
National Government and the ABG have done nothing at all since the island community sounded alarms of their homes being washed away by rising sea levels.
TMDF chairman Telavika Faite said his people were normally shy and kept away from public attention simply because they thought their issues belong to themselves and the rest of PNG
should not be bothered.
However, he said they have reached a stage where their silence was a detriment to their people.
He said while their cries for help from authorities have fallen on deaf ears, the elites of Mortlock have taken the stand to help their affected families with or without government
support.
Mr Faite said while the people battled the wrath of nature alone, education on the island has produced the lowest success rate. He said the school library was washed away when the last
tidal waves struck the island last year.
He said while the people found it hard to plant food crops, with rising sea levels affecting all gardening sites, their economic avenues have been cut away as well.
Mr Faite said since the suspension of the bechdemer trade, the only source of income on the island, the economic status of the island has dropped from meagre to poverty lelves without
even the government stepping in to help.
“This has being the biggest catastrophic decision because our people have always depended on the marine life for economic returns. It is like telling the Highlanders not to mine gold,
gas or oil. Our people are no better off,” he said.
He said copra was not profitable because boats do not go there anymore.
He said even for the last five years, the so-called slush funds of K10 million for each MP’s district services improvement program have not reached the island.
Mr Faite said the Mortlock Islanders have not seen any form of monetary support from ABG at all.

 

11.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

World Bank hep welcomed
By JOYCE TOHUI

AN Autonomous Bougainville Government Minister has welcomed the World Bank’s move to help women on Bougainville.
Rose Pihei, ABG Minister for Community Develop-ment, Women, Youth, Churches, NGOs and Sports and ABG women’s representative for South Bougainville, said the bank’s assistance can help
the women contribute in the government’s development plans.
Mrs Pihei also announced that the Bougainville Women’s Federation with the help of UNDP is already doing the groundwork on community mapping or community management research programs
involving all 33 Council of Elders of local level governments from North to South Bougainville and the atolls.

 

 

11.03.2011
Source: The National

UNFPA team off to Bougainville

UNITED Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is in the process of developing a specific programme for the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
A UNFPA PNG-based team is in Bougainville this week conducting assessment for the region on programmes which UNFPA is running in the country.
UNFPA programme analyst Emma Powan said this was basically for programmes on reproductive health, youths and adolescents, gender, HIV prevention, population and deve­lopment.
“UN, as a whole, is embarking on a new strategy for Bougainville for 2012-15 to align with the government’s medium term development plan,” Powan said.
The team will meet with parliamentary leaders and NGOs and faith-based organisations to assess issues and challenges faced by stakeholders in Bougainville.
Tuesday’s discussion focused on progress on prevention and ways in reducing the prevalence rate in the next four years.
Feedback of various issues compiled included the ABG’s political commitment to HIV prevention, the people’s culture and religious sensitivity to HIV prevention programmes and stakeholders’ capacity level in successfully achieving positive outcomes.

 

11.03.2011
Source: The National

Media told to report facts 
By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

AUTONOMOUS Bougainville Government’s vice-president Patrick Nisira has called on the media to take extra care when writing about issues that affect the lives and welfare of the Panguna people.
Nisira said Panguna mine was a sensitive issue and that the media must refrain from sensationali­sing news and showing favour to certain interest groups in Bougainville.
“To confer that Bougainville Copper Ltd is the company that will reopen the mine is already highly sensitive because the decision to reopen Panguna mine belongs to the landowners themselves and the ABG,” Nisira said.
He suggested that the media sought PNG government’s position on the matter and Panguna landowners’ position.
“We, in ABG, have no hidden agenda. Panguna will be reopened but only when all outstanding issues are addressed and the landowners satisfied.
“ABG will also have wider consultations with the communities in the region, including the churches, youth and women leaders and former combatants,” Nisira added.
He further cautioned all members of the Bougain­ville House of Representatives and ministers of the ABG to refrain from ma­king media statements concerning the Panguna mine reopening and added that ministers and members had the duty and responsibility to support the efforts of the ABG.

 

 

11.03.2011
Source: The National

O’Neill names PNC rep for North Bougainville

THE People’s National Congress party yesterday announced it was endorsing Donald Hamao as its candidate for the North Bougainville seat.
The seat was left vacant following the election of Michael Ogio as governor general last month.
The Electoral Commission has set the election for May 14, with the writ to be issued on March 21.
Hamao, 49, of Lontis village in Buka, is widely respected among the community in Bougainville. He has forged a close working relationship with the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), the Mekamui, the Bougainville Resistance Force (BRF), and the Veteran’s Association since the conflict on the island ended.
These factions are supporting him, and backing his endorsement by PNC.
“PNC has a special relationship with Bougainville, since the day founder Sir William Skate made the pilgrimage as Prime Minister to Paruparu village to discuss peace and rebuilding of Bougainville with Joseph Kabui.
“Through Hamao we intend to strengthen that relationship. PNC is part of a government that has made a deliberate decision to allocate funding and resources to revive the island’s economy and infrastructure. We underlined only two weeks ago by committing K500 million for infrastructure development on Bougainville starting next year. This will continue with North Bougainville in our fold,” PNC leader and Finance and Treasury Minister Peter O’Neill said.
O’Neill said with Central Bougainville MP Jimmy Miringtoro joining PNC recently, the party would have a strong hand in driving the development agenda for Bougainville.
O’Neill thanked the different factions to the peace and rebuilding process on Bougainville for pledging their support for PNC and Hamao.
Hamao said he accepted the endorsement of PNC, and looked forward to working with the party and the Somare government to continue the good work on Bougainville.
“While we have come a long way since the crisis ended, a lot remains to be done on Bougainville and I believe PNC has the right policies to ensure our goals are achieved,” Hamao said.
He finished fourth to Ogio in the 2007 general elections.

 

 

11.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

First Sitting 2011
By Aloysius Laukai

ABG House of Representatives will have their first sitting for 2011 from Tuesday 15th March to Thursday 17th March 2011.
In making the announcement, PARLIAMENT Speaker, ANDREW MIRIKI says that the house will deliberate on many outstanding issues affecting the region.
The Speaker also said that he would be tabling a report in parliament on plans to run the ABG Parliament in the next 12 months.
On the overall sitting the Speaker said that he would be meeting with Leader of Government Business, JOHN TABINAM to sort out the order of the sitting.
New Dawn FM will be carrying out live Broadcast of the Questions without notice.

 

 

11.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SAFETY FIRST
By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville’s Safety consultant, XSAVIOUR TSIWA is calling the people of Bougainville to be safety conscious at all times.
He was commenting after a truck load of Rugby League players failed to reach the top of the hill near Hangan village and reversing injuring its passengers.
One man was reported death from the accident.
MR. TSIWA said that all trucks and vehicles must be inspected to make sure they are roadworthy.
Drivers must be competent persons to operate vehicles, trucks including machines.
He said that Police must also carry out regular traffic cheks.
Drivers must not drive when they are under the influence of liquor and that trucks must not be over loaded.
The safety officer said that everybody must remember safety is our number ONE Priority to avoid Injuries/fatalities/property damage etc.

 

11.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

WAKAI SUPPORT SPORTS
By Aloysius Laukai

The member for Bolave says that he has Sports has his priority in the Bolave COE.
He made these remarks at the closing ceremony of a one week Soccer Referee’s Training workshop in Nagovis this afternoon.
MR. WAKAI said that Sports plays a pivotal role in the reduction of law and order issues and must be supported.
He said because of this he also paid Uniforms for the Bana team at the recent ABG Games in Buin, South Bougainville.
MR. WAKAI said that he will continue to support the development of Sports in the district.

 

11.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Calls for Semoso to assist schools in Selau/Suir
BY JOYCE TOHUI

Chairman of the Selau Council of Elders, KEN AMSIA is calling on the Regional Member and Minister for Bougainville Affairs, FIDELIS SEMOSO to assist schools and health centers in the Selau/Suir District this year.
MR AMSIA said Selau District this year will not be given enough funding in 2011 for schools and health centers, therefore want the member to chip in.
He appealed to the Minister to continue to assist schools and health centers in in the Selau District.

 

 

11.03.2011
Source: PNG Industry News

Next step taken on path to Panguna reopening
James McGrath

BOUGAINVILLE President John Momis has held talks with Bougainville Copper chairman Peter Taylor to identify the issues to work through if the Panguna mine were to be reopened.
 
Panguna Copper Mine, Bougainville PNG

 

Momis was positive about the meeting, telling ABC Radio that the groundwork for further discussion had been laid.

“We did not discuss issues in detail but I am satisfied that we have established a process, a form of dialogue that we can maintain as we both consult our constituents,” he said.

While the pair had met informally in the past, the recent meeting laid out the issues which would need to be resolved by both parties before moving ahead.

Taylor told PNGIndustryNews.net that the meeting gave the pair a clear plan.

“What we needed to sound one another out on was what we thought the key issues were for the immediate future,” he said.

“Those issues involve having the landowners form a united group so that they could be represented in negotiations and we also discussed the need for four parties involved – that is, the national government, the Bougainville government, BCL and the landowners – to work together.

“We also agreed that there were a lot of technical and legal issues to be worked through. For example, the Bougainville Copper agreement act document itself and the drawdown of mining powers by the Bougainville government.”

Momis added that a new agreement would be needed if discussions were to be held formally, as the old agreement had been a source of friction which led to a 10-year civil war on the island.

“If we want to reopen the mine we have to have a total commitment to resolve the differences we had and to do it commercially,” the president said after the meeting.

While Taylor said there was a range of commercial and legal issues to work through, the biggest hurdle was getting a united landowner representative bloc formed so that negotiations could progress.

“As far as Bougainville Copper is concerned, we’re ready to move whenever the other parties are ready. I think the main issue at the moment is getting the landowner representative group formed,” he said.

“Once that’s done, and provided there’s goodwill from the national government to engage, there should be no reason why we couldn’t start the negotiation process formally.”

Bougainville Copper has previously told PNGIndustryNews.net that it was consulting with landowners on an informal level.

Momis added after the meeting that there was a broad consensus on Bougainville in favour of reopening the mine, but that reaching a new agreement was still a long way off.

“There are some armed individuals in south Bougainville, but it’s a minute proportion of the total population,” he said.

“Everybody wants development, stability, peace and I am saying now that the slogan should be changed from ‘peace through peaceful means’ to ‘peace through socio-economic means’ … that means empowering people by involving them in socio-economic programs.”

His wish was for formal discussions to begin this year.

It is estimated that a reopened Panguna mine could produce 170,000 tonnes of copper per year and 1 million ounces of gold. Before it was closed, resources from the mine represented 44% of PNG’s total exports.

 
 

10.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Boat sightings worrying
By Fabian Gatana

FOREIGN vessels sighted in Bougainville waters have become a major concern to authorities in the region.
Vessels have been sighted conducting allegedly illegal activities in and around the waters of the Carterets and Mortlock islands, Nissan Island, the Nuguria Atolls and also the waters of Haku on the northern tip of Buka Island.
The manager of PNG Customs Service in Bougainville John Kiu raised this concern after islanders began reporting sightings of these illegal vessels in their areas.
“I refer to the concern by villagers within the waters of Carterets and Mortlock islands expressed through the Bougainville Administration’s local level government division today,” said Mr Kui.
“I voiced my concern earlier on the movement of these vessels whether or not they are licensed to fish within PNG waters. Most often than not they do not comply under conditions of the fishing permits and licenses.”
He said more than 9200 vessels have been sighted and their activities have been going on for more than one month.
“Furthermore, those activities cannot leave out the possibility of a growing trend of suspicious and illegal activities in Bougainville in respect of earlier briefs in view of a steady movement of foreign interests into mainland Bougainville.”

 

 

09.03.2011
Source: Bougainville Copper Limited

Annual Business Report 2010 published !

 

Jahresbericht 2010 veröffentlicht !

 

 

 

09.03.2011
Source: Bougainville Copper Limited

Press Release

BCL adds national and global experience to its board of directors

Former Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Sir Rabbie Namaliu GCL CSM KCMG has
been appointed a director on the board of Bougainville Copper Limited.
Among his duties as a non-executive director, Sir Rabbie will become a member of the
company’s audit committee, which under the Australian Securities Exchange rules, has
responsibility for governance and the rights of shareholders.
BCL Chairman Peter Taylor said the company was delighted by Sir Rabbie’s acceptance
of the invitation to join the board.
“The former Prime Minister is a distinguished statesman and a committed Papua New
Guinean, with ministerial experience in Foreign Affairs and Trade, Treasury, Primary
Industry, Petroleum and Energy and other areas of government responsibility.
“He holds directorships of several other Papua New Guinea companies, and is a
member of the PNG Institute of Directors.
“We welcome the addition of his experience and judgement to the decision-making
processes of BCL, at a time of great challenge and opportunity,” Mr Taylor said.
It is expected that Sir Rabbie’s appointment will be endorsed by shareholders at the
company’s Annual General Meeting in April. Subject to election by shareholders at the
AGM, directors normally serve for a term of three years, after which they can offer
themselves for re-election.
Sir Rabbie’s CV notes that he is a non-executive director of Marengo Mining Limited, a
non-executive director of Kina Securities Limited, and Chairman of the publicly listed
investment company Kina Asset Management Limited.
In February last year he was appointed Chairman of Kramer Ausenco, a new joint
venture of PNG engineering company Kramer (PNG) Limited and Ausenco of Australia.
Prime Minister between 1988 and 1992, Sir Rabbie Namaliu was also Speaker of the
National Parliament between 1994 and 1997.

 

 

09.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Panguna mine will re-open soon: Momis
By MOHAMMAD BASHIR

Bougainville President John Momis said his talks with Bougainville Copper has started a dialogue which would eventually lead to the re-opening of the Panguna Mine.
The mine was closed in 1988 after it became the spark which ignited a decade long civil war but President Momis said there was now a consensus on Bougainville in favour of a large scale mining.
He said this while speaking to ABC’s Jemima Garrett during his week long trip to Australia.
President Momis told his many audiences that the key to success for the Bougainville Peace Agreement was finding economic opportunities for his people.
Mr Momis was willing to consider any major development but at this stage the re-opening of the Panguna copper mine is the only project likely to be able to start operating in time to provide the autonomous region with an economic base before a referendum on independence which is due to take place between 2015 and 2020.
President Momis met Bougainville Copper (BCL) Chairman Peter Taylor in Sydney as well where he reportedly had a enlightening talk, exchanging of ideas and a good intellectual encounter.
“I am satisfied. We did not discuss issues in detail but I am satisfied that we have established a process, a form of dialogue that we can maintain as we both consult our constituents and work on ways and means of consolidating the mutual trust and translate that trust into concrete economic benefits,” he said.
President Momis said a new mine agreement would look very different from the old colonial era agreement that was the cause of so many problems.
“If we want to re-open the mine, we have to have a total commitment to resolve the differences we had and we have to do it commercially.
“On our side we have to recognise BCL’s legal rights, the (Papua New Guinea) National Government’s legal rights and on the part of BCL, they have to recognise that landowners and the people of Bougainville in general must have a more equitable distribution of benefits – in terms of employment and actual benefits and perhaps even look at giving the people through their government some measure of equity,” he said.
President Momis also said there had been a sea-change in public opinion on Bougainville but he knows that negotiating a new mining agreement will still be a difficult task.
“There are some armed individuals in South Bougainville but it’s a minute proportion of the total population. Everybody wants development, stability, peace and I am saying now that the slogan should be changed from “peace through peaceful means” to peace through socio-economic means. That means empowering people by involving them in socio-economic programs,” he added.
President Momis said the opponents of mining have a right to express their views, have a right to express their fears but “I believe we can responsibly and effectively deal with this culture of fear, this syndrome of fear, by educating people.”
He said the landowners have more or less agreed to form an umbrella organisation to give them one voice and they will be in negotiations with the National Government and developer.
“We would like to get them started this year. We are in the process of getting some professional technical advice and we will start talking with Bougainville Copper and the National Government so that we can start the process.
“Because it will take sometime before the mine operates,” President Momis said.

 

 

09.03.2011
Source:  Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MOMIS ON COMMITMENT
By Aloysius Laukai

ABG President Chief John Momis is calling on all Bougainvilleans to unite and work as a team to develop Bougainville.
He was speaking at a Press Conference in Buka yesterday.
MR. MOMIS said that as the countdown to Referendum nears all efforts must be combined to remove all weapons and make sure the people are educated to make the right choice on referendum day.
And the final outcome must be accepted and respected by the people of Bougainville.
He said in preparation for the referendum, the people must be given the opportunity to make their choice without fear.
MR. MOMIS said that for this to happen, All guns must be removed, the people are well informed and that they have monies in their pockets.
He said that clock was ticking and the people must move quickly.

 

 

09.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

NO COMMITMENT
By Aloysius Laukai

The Australian Government made no commitments on calls by ABG President, JOHN MOMIS FOR Australia to give more aid to Bougainville.
ABG President JOHN MOMIS made this known during a press conference yesterday.
He said however the Foreign Minister would be visiting Bougainville on March 28th and it is anticipated that he could make some commitments on behalf of the government and people of Australia.
MR. MOMIS said that his visit to Australia made it possible for him to meet so many Government and private citizens who are willing to assist Bougainville.

 

09.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Poverty shows its ugly face on Mortlock Island
By PORENI UMAU

AS if not enough with nature mercilessly threatening to wash away their island homes, a new human problem has come to torment Mortlock Islanders.
Telavika Faite, a Mortlock Islander and Chairman of the TeMarae Development Foundation, an organisation set up by elites from the affected island working in various centres of PNG to help their affected fellow islanders back home, revealed that poverty was stark on the island.
Mr Faite said amid the rising sea levels affecting their island home, poverty had set in with its ugly revelations, where people on the island community were literally dressed in rags.
He said without any form of transportation from the ABG, no support in food supplies, medication and education services, the people were left to scavenge for food and necessary services to help themselves.
He said much loved ‘Kanokano’, a giant taro found in the area which was also the staple food was becoming scarce with the rising sea levels affecting arable land for gardening sites.
He said there was no higher ground on Mortlock and the gardening was affected with such natural cause.
He said crops were dying with the water table reaching high levels. He said the Kanokano was dying away and kaukau cannot grow on the island because of high alkaline level. He said there was no support from the ABG citing that the last time the government helped was when there was a tidal wave. He said the much publicised DSIP for districts was never seen on Mortlock in any shape or form and people continued to suffer. He said without any proper health, many people had died from curable illnesses including cough, diarrhoea, malaria and tuberculosis. He said this was disturbing as there were 20 deaths last year from curable diseases and climate continues to affect the islanders, human problems have risen to disturb them without any government support at all.

 

09.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Mortlock Islanders woes
By PORENI UMAU

ONE remote island community is going out of its way to seek government services to help themselves.
The Nukutoa Islands commonly known as Mortlocks in the Autonomous Bougainville Region are sacrificing their safety in search of government services that have become scarce on their island.
This was revealed through TeMarae Development Foundation (TMDF), an organisation set up by elites from the island working throughout PNG to help their suffering families. Affected by the rising sea levels threatening to wash away their homes, TMDF chairman Telavika Faite said people have turned to using dinghies to travel to Buka to buy food, seek medication and other necessary services that were no longer on the island.
He said it cost K160 by boat to Buka.
He said that transport was a major setback. He said the Sankamap 02 “a floating debris” bought by the ABG six years ago lasted only two and a half years and was now rotting away on the western coast of Buka.

 

 

08.03.2011

Source: ESBC

 

Don't miss to watch the new movie Human Planet here!

 

Versäumen Sie nicht, sich das neue Video Human Planet hier anzusehen!

 

 

 

08.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Aust convinced Bougainville is ready
By PETERSON TSERAHA

BOUGAINVILLE can now talk confidently with other countries and is qualified to do so because Australia is now convinced that Bougainville is ready to move.
ABG President John Momis and Bougainville Deputy Administrator policy, Raymond Masono returned from Australia on Monday, after meeting with Australian politicians, academics and businessmen.
In his meeting with the Australian leaders, Mr Momis, although confident his autonomous government is now taking shape of its destiny, the long time politician wants Australia to help Bougainville through its referendum dest-iny.
“I feel Bougainville can now talk with confidence and can freely exercise the rights to freedom of speech, because I know now and according to our trip that Australia thinks and is convinced that we deserved to be helped,” Mr Momis said in a press conference.
He said what Bougainville needs now is more public relations in order to establish relations with other countries. He is now confident Bougainville is ready to do just that.
Even though Bougainville is not morally qualified, Bougainville is legally fit and nobody should have fear in talking internationally.
“Undoubtfully we have met the Australian expectation and they are ready to work along with us and we are also prepared to work with them.” Mr Momis said.
“The ABG stake holders must now be prepared in this latest arrangement.
“Bougainville is now better placed and would be better than many countries in the world only if we start working together, united as we stand . . . come what may, we must be united.
“It is we who will have to make Bougainville work.”
Yesterday, Mr Momis spelled out to the press that he has a vision already in place for Bougainville and wants it to be achieved.
He said there are many positive things the newly established government is anticipating but that will go along well with a united workforce together with that of the people of the region.

 

 

08.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Bougainville to get help

 

PNG has successfully sent the first 50 youths to Australia last month for technical and trade training.
This is the first batch of 200 youths scheduled for training overseas. They have been sent to technical schools in Cairns and Townsville.
And Bougainville is now serious about taking advantage of the scheme and wants to send at least 50 of its youths across to Australia.
Yesterday, ABG President John Momis and his delegation to Australia comprising Deputy Administrator Policy Raymond Masono and others had a successful visit to Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane where the population of Bougainvilleans is amassed.
Mr Masono said he was aware of the scheme and will make sure to get some advice from authorities so ABG can assist youths of Bougainville travel across to Australia to learn more and prepare the region for the better.
Bougainville has a big gap in the history of education because of the 10 year crisis.
But to date, there are still some youths who have not entered a classroom since the closure of schools in 1989.
However, most of these youths are very skilled from their own learning skills.
Because of this, ABG is trying to assist these youths seek further clarification and assistance on the Australia-PNG Scheme that PNG Brisbane Consul-General Paul Nerau has been promoting and supporting also co-ordinating.

 

08.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Did Earhart fly out gold?

AN AMERICAN group communicating with the Earhart expedition divers on Bougainville are now making preparations to travel to Buka Island to help complete the investigations.
Yesterday the US team based in Pennsylvania told the Post-Courier they are now making arrangements to travel to Buka and should be in the region by end of this month.
The US group who is in direct contact with the State Department back in Pennsylvania told the Post-Courier from the States that they still believed the wreck sitting on the seabed near Matsungan Island was that of Earhart.
“It’s only the fuselage, once the group details to us the information we need we will head straight for the airport and onto the plane to PNG,” the US expert said.
The experts did not want to divulge detailed information on what they were after from the fuel fillers of the wreck but said because the team carrying out the expedition in Buka was still having difficulties with the last bit of investigation.
The Buka team, however, is working to complete the exercise before they transmit information to the US team so they can travel to PNG and onto Buka Island to complete the investigation.
The Buka team is also adamant the wreck is Earhart’s as the leader claims is well versed with the historical story of why Amelia would have made it through Buka Island – because she smuggled gold out of her last destination.
“Why would America spend so much money looking for Earhart and still after 74 years, have not found the wreck?
“My intelligence experience tells me Earhart could not spell out her direct route because she was fearful radio transmissions would show her location as she was carrying something extraordinary. America knows something that we don’t.”

 

 

08.03.2011
Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat

Bougainville President in dialogue on re-opening of copper mine
Updated March 8, 2011 09:00:44

 

Bougainville's President, John Momis, says his talks with Bougainville Copper have started a dialogue, which could eventually lead to the re-opening of the Panguna Mine.

The mine was closed in 1988 after it became the spark which ignited a decade long civil war, but President Momis says there is now a consensus on Bougainville in favour of large scale mining.

Jemima Garrett reports.

 

Presenter: Jemima Garrett.
Speaker: John Momis, President of the Bougainville Autonomous government.
speaking with Jemima Garrett.

 

  Listen here ! 

 

GARRETT: During his week long trip to Australia President Momis told his many audiences that the key to success for the Bougainville Peace Agreement is finding economic opportunities for his people.

Mr Momis is willing to consider any major development but, at the is stage, the re-opening of the Panguna copper mine is the is the only project likely to be able to start operating in time to provide the autonomous region with an economic base, before a referendum on independence, which is due to take place between 2015 and 2020.

 

President Momis met the Chairman of Bougainville Copper (BCL), in Sydney.

MOMIS: It was a very enlightening talk, exchange of ideas and a good intellectual encounter between the 2 of us and our friends.

GARRETT: Were you satisfied with your talks with Peter Taylor, Chairman of Bougainville Copper?

MOMIS: I am satisfied. We did not discuss issues in detail but I am satisfied that we have established a process, a form of dialogue that we can maintain as we both consult our constituents, as it were, and work on ways and means of consolidating the mutual trust, and translate that trust into concrete economic benefits.

GARRETT: President Momis says a new mine agreement would look very different from the old colonial era agreement that was the cause of so many problems.

MOMIS: If we want to reopen the mine we have to have a total commitment to resolve the differences we had and we have to do it commercially. On our side we have to recognise BCL's legal rights, the (Papua New Guinea) national government's legal rights and on the part of BCL, they have to recognise that landowners and the people of Bougainville, in general, must have a more equitable distribution of benefits - in terms of employment and actual benefits, and perhaps even look at giving the people of Bougainville, through their government, some measure of equity.

GARRETT: President Momis says there has been a sea-change in public opinion on Bougainville but he knows negotiating a new mining agreement will still be a difficult task.

MOMIS: There are some armed individuals in south Bougainville but it's a minute proportion of the total population. Everybody wants development, stability, peace and I am saying now that the slogan should be changed from 'peace through peaceful means' to 'peace through socio-economic means'. That means empowering people by involving them in socio-economic programs.

GARRETT: Nevertheless there are still opponents of mining and mining is vulnerable to guerrilla warfare - you only need to blow up a few power poles to disable a mine. How are you going to draw those opponents into discussions over the re-opening of the mine?

MOMIS: The opponents of mining have a right to express their views, have a right to express their fears. I believe we can responsibly and effectively deal with this culture of fear, this syndrome of fear, by educating people.

GARRETT: You are, at the moment, getting together landowners from 6 mine licence areas. What needs to be done before the landowners can start formal talks with Bougainville Copper?

MOMIS: The landowners have more or less agreed to form an umbrella organisation to give them one voice. And the landowners will be in negotiations with the national government and with the developer.

GARRETT: How long do you think it will be before those talks can actually start with Bougainville Copper?

MOMIS: We would like to get them started this year. We are in the process of getting some professional technical advice and we will start talking with Bougainville Copper and the national government so that we can start the process. Because it will take some time before the mine opens.

 

 

08.03.2011
Source: The National

ABG firm on stand to reopen mine

THE Autonomous Bougainville Region Vice-President Patrick Nisira has reaffirmed the regional government’s stand that the Panguna copper mine stays shut “until all outstanding landowner grievan­ces are addressed”.
He said this yesterday to dispel any confusion among stakeholders, particularly landowner factions, on their position on Panguna mine amid overtures by Bougainville Copper Ltd to reopen the mine.
He said these issues included:
* Re-unification and reconciliation of all Panguna landowner groups, a process that the ABG and the Me’ekamui leadership have begun recently. This process also includes revi­siting and addressing all landowner outstanding grievances among the Panguna landowners themselves;
* Landowner outstanding compensation and environment damages which the landowners need to address among themselves initially and then with the ABG;
* Establishment of mine lease area associations and an umbrella association to deal with issues of the reopening of the mine. Within this early stage of the formation of the mine lease area associations, the ABG expects to be told whether the landowners want to reopen the mine or leave it permanently closed;
* Review of the Bougainville Copper Agreement (BCA);
* Draw down of mining powers to ABG. The Panguna landowners, the former combatants and the people of Bougainville have all called for this to happen before any serious negotiations for the mine re-opening is entertained.
* Weapons disposal is satisfactorily achieved and the environment is conducive for mining to commence; and
* Managing stakeholders’ expectations.
“This is the process the ABG and the national government and the Panguna landowners have been engaged in.
“We have not decided on re-opening the mine. That decision remains with the landowners and the people of Bougainvile,” Nisira said.
He added that ABG, as an independent government, had yet to meet with the landowners.
Instead, the ABG through the Mining Department and landowners, through their mining lease associations, have been holding consultative meetings to express their views on the future of mining in Panguna.
“We will have our own consultative meetings when funds become available.
“We feel strongly that these consultative meetings and the formation and registration of the mine lease association and the umbrella association would pave the way forward in properly dealing with the landowners’ outstanding grievances,” Nisira said.

 

 

07.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

JUSTICE HAPPY
BY JOYCE TOHUI
 

Justice SAO GABI is happy to be back in Bougainville after a long time.

He says that he has known a lot of Bougainvilleans particularly the ABG Minister for Police, Courts and Public Service, LEO HANNETT whom he had worked very closely with during the Burnam discussions on hostilities on Bougainville.

He added that with the will and support of the people of Bougainville the Burnam discussion on hostilities was successful.

Justice GABI said he was glad to come back and also very satisfying to see the people of Bougainville have moved forward.

Justice GABI says that he would like to see as much of Bougainville during his short stay on Bougainville.

 

 

07.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BOUGAINVILLE NEEDS RESIDENT JUDGE
BY JOYCE TOHUI

Regional Member for Bougainville and Minister for Bougainville Affairs and Trade, FIDELIS SEMOSO has urged Justice SAO GABI that Bougainville needed a Resident Judge.

He says there have been talks over the issue and it must be implemented as soon as possible.

FIDELIS SEMOSO has asked the ACP for the Bougainville Police Service, THOMAS ELUH and the Minister for Police, Courts and Public Service, LEO HANNETT to work with his office and come up with the costing for the resident judge so that he can be able to seek funds.

He says once funding is made available, infrastructures will take place to cater for the resident judge on Bougainville.

Meanwhile, Justice SAO GABI told the press conference that the trend of crimes in the islands region is low where as in the Highlands and the Momase regions in order to have a resident judge.

However, the Bougainville Police Chief ACP Thomas Eluh assured Justice GABI that he believes there are many unreported crimes in Bougainville that are left unattended to.

 

 

07.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SEMOSO ON COURTS
BY JOYCE TOHUI

Regional Member and Minister for Bougainville Affairs, FIDELIS SEMOSO wants courts to be set up in all districts of Bougainville.

He says magistrates should be allocated in all the districts of the region to maintaining law and order.

FIDELIS SEMOSO made these comments when welcoming Justice Sao Gabi in Buka at the weekend.

He said experience has shown that Law and Order problems remain higher in places where such facilities are not available.

New Dawn FM understands that under the Bougainville Constitution, Bougainville will have its own Judiciary system that will include its own Judges and Magistrates.

 

 

07.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SAO GABI IN BOUGAINVILLE
BY JOYCE TOHUI

Justice SAO GABI arrived in Bougainville on Saturday and will be in the region for three weeks.

Following the National Court circuits every month judges are sent to locations where there are no resident Judge.

Justice GABI will listen to courts and other law and order related issues.

All court hearings will be held in BUKA but he had been asked to take some court sittings to ARAWA.

Regional Member and Minister for Bougainville Affairs, FIDELIS SEMOSO has pledged his support for the judge to hear courts in ARAWA.

Mr SEMOSO believes that with the presence of the judge in ARAWA, people will feel that justice prevails on Bougainville.

 

Judge Sao Gabi welcomed om Buka airport

 

 

07.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

KINA FOR KINA IN QUESTION
By Aloysius Laukai

The reactivated ABG’s own KINA FOR KINA scheme established in 2009 would die a natural death if the ABG stops to put in funds for the program.

This was revealed today by the project’s coordinator JOHN KONOU this morning when announcing many projects that the Program is funding in the rural areas.

MR. KONOU told New Dawn FM this morning that project is the only ABG’s program that would benefit communities that have been crying for the maintenance of mainly community projects started by the former North Solomon’s Provincial Government.

He said that since the project started last year, it has concentrated on Water and Sanitation programs throughout the region.

MR. Konou said that in 2009 the ABG allocated SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND KINA for the project however the number has dropped to only TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND KINA this year.

He said that they are receiving applications from all throughout the region.

 

 

07.03.2011
Source: ABC Radio Australia News

 

Bougainville's president holds talks about re-opening Panguna mine

The President of Bougainville John Momis says there a consensus in favour of large scale mining. [ABC]
Jemima Garrett, Sydney

Bougainville's President, John Momis, has held talks with the Rio Tinto-owned mining company, Bougainville Copper, about the possibility of re-opening the Panguna Mine.

The mine was closed in 1988 after it became the spark which ignited a decade long civil war on Bougainville.

President Momis says there is now a consensus on Bougainville in favour of large scale mining.

He emerged from talks with Bougainville Copper (BCL) Chairman Peter Taylor, saying he had had a good exchange of ideas.

"We did not discuss issues in detail but I am satisfied that we have established a process, a form of dialogue that we can maintain as we both consult our constituents," he said.

President Momis told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program, a new mine agreement would look very different from the old colonial era agreement that was the cause of so many problems.

"If we want to reopen the mine we have to have a total commitment to resolve the differences we had and we have to do it commercially," he said.

"On our side we have to recognise BCL's legal rights, the (Papua New Guinea) government's legal rights and on the part of BCL, they have to recognise that landowners and the people of Bougainville."

President Momis said any new mine agreement would have to provide a much more equitable distribution of benefits.

He says there has been a sea-change in public opinion on Bougainville but he knows negotiating a new mining agreement will still be a difficult task.

"There are some armed individuals in south Bougainville but it's a minute proportion of the total population."

"Everybody wants development, stability, peace and I am saying now that the slogan should be changed from 'peace through peaceful means' to 'peace through socio-economic means'...that means empowering people by involving them in socio-economic programs."

Mr Momis says landowners will also take part in negotiations with the national government and BCL, under an umbrella organisation.

He says he wants to see formal negotiations begin this year.

 

 

07.03.2010
Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat

Bougainville President says US interest in PNG small compared to China

Updated March 7, 2011 08:00:57

Bougainville's President, John Momis, says the United States is conspicuous by its absence and its lack of investment in Papua New Guinea. His comment follows strident remarks by US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, warning that PNG is one of the sites where the US is locked in a strategic competition with China over resources.

Jemima Garrett reports.

Presenter: Jemima Garrett
Speakers:Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State; John Momis, President, autonomous region of Bougainville.

 

  Listen here ! 

 

 

GARRETT: As the United States attempts to deal with its massive debt, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is doing her best to ensure climate change programs for the Pacific are spared the axe.
When she went before the United States Foreign Relations Committee, last week, she highlighted US strategic interests.

CLINTON: Let's put aside the moral, humanitarian, do-good side of what we believe in, and let's just talk, you know, straight real politique. We are in a competition with China. Take Papua New Guinea, huge energy find, to go to one of (Republican) Senator (Dick) Lugar's very strong points. Exxon Mobil is producing it. China is in there every day in every way trying to figure out how it's going to come in behind us, come in under us. They're supporting the dictatorial regime that unfortunately is now in charge of Fiji. They have brought all of the leaders of these small Pacific nations to Beijing, wined them and dined them. I mean, if anybody thinks that our retreating on these issues is somehow going to be irrelevant to the maintenance of our leadership in a world where we are competing with China, that is a mistaken notion.

GARRETT: Hillary Clinton may not want to see Pacific climate change programs cut but that has not stopped questions being asked about whether the US has left the door open to China, in this region.
Bougainville is home to the massive British and Australian-owned Panguna copper mine and is prospective for more minerals.
Bougainville's President, John Momis, is one of Papua New Guinea's elder statesmen and its former ambassador to China.
He says the Exxon Mobil lead LNG project is the exception rather than the rule when it comes to US investment.

MOMIS: That's one off. Apart from that the US is conspicuous by its absence ..in Bougainville.

GARRETT: So would you like to see US investment in PNG and Bougainville?

MOMIS: Yes, we would like to but I think they have a policy of not investing in Papua New Guinea.

GARRETT: China, on the other hand is looking into a wide range of projects in PNG.
President Momis says Chinese companies have shown interest in taking a stake in the Panguna copper mine.
Bougainville is still recovering from a civil war in the 1990's which left thousands dead, closed Panguna and destroyed much of the islands infrastructure.
Australia and Papua New Guinea are supporting Bougainville's reconstruction.
President Momis, says economic and social development is a priority and he is keen to welcome new investors.

MOMIS: We now have Chinese entrepreneurs on the ground looking at possibilities of farming, fishing, shipping, starting up a technical college. The Chinese government, ..or the Embassy, has said to us that they would be prepared to build a technical college. We've also had an offer from Europe, a private offer not government, to build a technical college. In my view we need to have good technical colleges to produce educated, technically qualified people.

GARRETT: President Momis has just completed a week long visit to Australia at the invitation of the Australian government.
He flew out on Sunday confident he will get a good hearing for his request that more of Australia's increasing aid budget go to Bougainville.
The visit was just part of a hectic schedule.

MOMIS: When I led a delegation to China we signed 7 MOU's . We are encouraging Chinese and some Australians and Kiwis, and any other investor who is interested, to go into joint venture with us. I have gone public to say we will not encourage stand alone business, foreign business. We would prefer to encourage joint venture businesses. Of course, the question of equity will be negotiated. We don't have the capital not the technol and so on and so forth.

GARRETT: President Momis is working hard to build the commercial capacity of his people and his government.
And after 40 years in public life he is not easily snowed.

MOMIS: I've engaged someone who has had a lot of experience putting together mergers and joint ventures to help us deal with the Chinese, because we don't want to be swamped. Chinese are aggressive entrepreneurs. We are not born entrepreneurs but I am confident. I am talking to people in Australia and New Zealand to help us screen and only accept credible investment and investors in the areas that we need to develop.

 

 

07.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MOMIS RETURNS
By Aloysius Laukai

ABG President Chief John Momis returned to Buka this morning satisfied with his official trip to Australia.
On arrival he was met by his Ministers and CEO’s from the Bougainville administration.
In his remarks at the Buka airport, MR. MOMIS said that he was happy with his official visit to Australia.
MR. MOMIS said that told the government of Australia that the Bougainville conflict would affect the Region and Australia must assist Papua New Guinea in addressing pressing issues affecting Bougainville today.
He said that Australia has responded positively and would be sending its Foreign Affairs Minister to visit Bougainville later this year.
MR. MOMIS said that he had also met Bougainvilleans in Australia and Business Community who want to contribute to Bougainville’s economic recovery.

 

Chief protocol Philip Kiha tries to get bags off the President at the Buka airport.

 

Minister Micheal Oni shakes hands with President John Momis this morning

 

 

07.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Diver found wreck in 1994

SEVENTEEN years ago, a young commercial fisherman from Tasman Island was diving for sea cucumbers deep down on the ocean floor of Matsungan Island, Buka when he stumbled onto a plane wreck.
Tasman Islander Jessy Teolo is now 40 years old and married with six children. In 1994, like every other commercial fisherman, he dived on every reef in the Atolls looking for beche de mer to sell.
Teolo went as far as grade six and couldn’t prosper his education for a higher certificate because of the location and the difficulty in finding a way out to Buka from Tasman.
Mr Teolo instead turned to commercial fishing, spending most of his time diving for a living. In early 1994, Atolls Queen made its maiden voyage to Tasman Island. Sankamap I was also on the island making its last trip to the Atolls before going overseas for a refit. Mr Teolo, like every other young man, got himself onto the boat and travelled to Buka where he thought would return with better diving equipment and to sell his produce.
His dream of going back to Tasman became a nightmare as the vessels were no longer returning to his island home so he was stranded in Buka.
Bougainville has top A grade beche de mer/sea cucumbers on the world market and most of them are found along the low-lying islands of Buka Islands especially Petats, Saposa and Matsungan.
Mr Teolo did not sit back. In the same year, 1994 he linked up with another local fisherman – known to many as Borou – and engaged in a trade where they were diving for beche de mer. Teolo and another diver travelled to Matsungan Island later that year with Borou to dive for sea cucumber.
He dived underwater for “Bislama” as it is known in Tok Pisin and stumbled onto the plane lying on a reef facing the island.
First he thought his eyes were playing up so he gasped for air and took a second dive, this time several metres down where he confirmed the plane wreck lying on the sea bed, covered in coral and facing the island.
That was the first time he mentioned a plane sitting under the water at Matsungan – he communicated this to Borou, the local fisherman, but he took notice of this matter. Mr Teolo returned to Tasman and three years later was asked to come back to Buka to show the location of the plane wreck in 1997.
The sudden urge for the location of the plane came amidst news about Amelia Earhart plane found in East New Britain surfaced.
Old men in Matsungan also told Borou about a plane that crashed in 1937 while he was out at sea all by himself as the lightning struck and heavy rains fell. Borou asked for Mr Teolo to make his way back to Buka to show him where the wreck was.
In 1999 people were now aware of the plane wreck, many theories told and already the Matsungan Island village was now in tune with the story of Amelia Earhart and that’s where it all began.
Mr Teolo fled back to his Atoll home as there was now infighting among groups – basically on who found the wreck and other issues.
But speaking to the Post-Courier last Friday, Mr Teolo said he had a feeling when he first found it in 1994, that this wreck was different from all other wrecks he found during his dive in the Atolls and everywhere else in Bougainville, but he never voiced his feelings towards the crash until this year.
He is now a copra buyer in Fead and the Atolls with financial help from his diving expeditions and since beche de mer trade has been put on hold.

 

 

07.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

ABG given more power

THE Department of Health in the Autonomous Government of Bougainville has elevated its role to add more function into the department.
This follows a successful handing over of 25 health functions administered by the National Health Department to the Health department in the Autonomous Government of Bougainville.
Health Minister Sasa Zibe said the handing of the 25 functions that the National Health Department administered was handed over to the Autonomous Government of Bougainville in accordance to the Organic Law on Peace Building in Bougainville administered by the Joint Supervisory Body.
A signing ceremony was done last week to effect the transferring and delegating of powers and functions from the National Health Department to the Bougainville Health Division.
This would see the National government retaining six health functions.
Minister Zibe said he was satisfied that the transfer of the functions was timely because the Bougainville heath division was set to implement its health plan (2011-2015) in collaboration with the National Health Plan 2011-2020).
He said the transfer and delegation of power and functions have been identified and finalised through a consultative process between the National Department of Health and ABG have been identified and finalised.
Most of the functions would include staffing ceiling, collections of data, health policy and legislations, supervision and governing of diseases, maintain health radios, approval of staff development plan and implementation of plans and legislations.

 

 

07.03.2011
Source: The National

K6m grant for Bougainville women
By ALISON ANIS

WOMEN in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville have been given a K6million grant by the World Bank.
The grant will allow the women to improve their status and participation in the development process of the region.
The World Bank grant was from the state and peace-building fund and will be used to support inclusive development in post-Bougainville project for the women on the island.
“The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) is happy with this development.
“It is a step forward in the right direction in terms of economically empowering our wo­menfolk with capacity building and development skills, intellectual capacity and real life skills to tend to communal and family needs and survival,” ABG acting president Patrick Nisira said.
During the signing of the financing grants between World Bank and representatives from the PNG government last Thursday, Nisira thanked the World Bank for the grant saying this was the first time the women in the region had received a huge amount of funding from World Bank.
He added that the funding would give rise to Bougainville society’s recognition of the status of women in its culture and society.
“With this financial support, the women of Bougainville will be getting is a great leap forward.
“And this leap forward will not only be for our women, but for everyone in the region as well.
“The ABG has had its setbacks in financially supporting all facets of government institutions, formal and informal sector development due to unavailability of funds.
“But with this grant, women’s organisations will move ahead unhindered with this tremendous support,” Nisira said.
He said the focus of establishing the inclusive development in post-conflict Bougainville had a capacity to drive our society further in enhancing peace, reconciliation, and rehabilitation and more over, would have a positive impact to the rural population.

 

 

06.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Picture of Trucks trying to cross the pool of water in front of Jomik Trading Buka Town. There is no good Drainage system in Buka Town and during wet season this is what happens. Soon water will run into the houses. We need good engineers to design good road system within the town!

 

 

06.03.2011
Source: ABC Australia Network News

Claims US looks to China over PNG

Bougainville's President, John Momis, says the United States is conspicuous by its lack of investment in Papua New Guinea.

Jemima Garrett reports the comment follows a warning by Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, that PNG is one of the sites where the US is engaged in strategic competition with China, over resources.

Hillary Clinton told the US Foreign Relations Committee last week that, China is doing everything it can to get in on the massive Exxon Mobil led PNG LNG project.

President Momis says from what he can see the US has a policy of not investing in PNG.
President Momis says the Chinese have shown interest in taking a stake in Rio Tinto's Bougainville copper mine and in other projects.
President Momis says he would like to see more investment from the United States.

 

 

04.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Two new associations added for lease area
By Gorethy Kenneth

BOUGAIVNILLEANS have created two new landowner associations to add to the six known Panguna Mine lease area groups.
They are the Middle Lower Tailing lease and the South West Coastal Corridor Mine Tailing.
The original six landowners associations include:
- Rorovana Lease;
- Special Mining Lease;
- Port Mine Access Road lease;
- Dapera/Iaba pump station mine lease;
- Upper Tailing lease; and
- Lower Tailing lease.
The Middle Lower Tailing lease landowner association is a splinter from the Upper and Lower Tailing Lease associations.
The South West Coastal Corridor Mine Tailing is made up of landowning groups along the coast directly affected by the tailings waste from the Panguna Mine.
Interim executive director of the South West Coastal Corridor Mine Tailing group, Patrick Heromate in a statement warned the leaders to be very cautious, conscious and careful about the representations of the meetings.
“Panguna mine has caused a lot of problems that led to a civil war in Bougainville where lives of people have been lost,” Mr Heromate said.
“Leaders and landowners must be very mindful in the cause to open the Panguna Mine. We don’t want your decision to ignite another crisis that could be more devastating that the last crisis.
“Though we may be telling the world that Panguna landowner’s talks have been successful, don’t forget that you are not corroborating with every landowners.
“You have been meeting with the six landowner associations. You will now have eight not six as you have continued to advocate.
“There are two new landowner associations that must be added on in your future meetings,” Heromate singled out to all the leaders both ABG and National Government.”

 

04.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

ABG’s stand on Panguna mine
By Fabian Gatana

THE Panguna mine will remain shut and opened only when all outstanding issues are addressed and landowners and the people of Bougainville are satisfied.
This is from the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) vice President Patrick Nisira after clarifying the Government’s stand on the issue of the re-opening of the Panguna mine.
Mr Nisira made the remarks after an ABG MP and Minister Davis Sisito and Me’ekamui diehard Chris Uma made statements regarding the Panguna mine last week.
“I reiterate again that the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s official position on the reopening of the Panguna mine is clear — the mine is to remain closed, until all outstanding landowner grievances are properly addressed,” Mr Nisira said.
He said the issues included:
- REUNIFICATION and recon-ciliation of all Panguna landowner groups, a process that the ABG and the Me’ekamui leadership have begun recently and with the effective participation of MDF front man, Chris Uma;
- Landowner’s outstanding compensation and environment damages. The landowners need to seriously address this issue among themselves initially and then with the ABG;
- Establishment of mine lease area associations, the ABG expects to be told whether the landowners want to reopen the mine or leave it permanently closed;
- Review of the Bougainville Copper Agreement (BCA);
- Draw down of mining powers to the ABG. The Panguna landow-ners, the former combatants and the people of Bougainville have called for this to happen before any serious negotiations for the mine reopening is entertained;
- Weapons Disposal is satis-factorily achieved and the environment is conducive for mining to commence; and
- Managing stakeholders’ expectations.
“Panguna Mine is a highly sensitive issue, therefore I call upon the media, particularly the PNG print media to take extra care when writing on issues that affect the lives and welfare of the people of Panguna, especially their sensational approach to news writing and showing favour to certain interest groups in Bougainville. We in the ABG have no hidden agenda,” Mr Nisira said.

 

04.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Church to work with media

THE Bougainville Catholic Church has strengthened its ties with the media on Bougainville and wants to work with the industry to move the region forward
Catholic Bishop of Bougainville Diocese, Bishop Bernard Unabali in his first and official conference with the media in Buka yesterday said the media is a very powerful tool for information sharing on Bougainville and pledged its support to work together for the sake of developing Bougainville.
But the clergyman has also appealed to the journalism training institutions to train journalist on specific fields, for example, a specialised church reporter.
He singled out the issue of reporters having minimal understanding of the church slangs and information and advised there needed to be trained church specialised reporters in the country and especially Bougainville.
This is because the Catholic Church also runs more than 110 education and institutional schools in the region, and because of this they need the support from the media to help grow and develop these schools in terms of information sharing and dissemination.

 

 

04.03.2011
Source: ABC Radio Radio Australia - Pacific Beat

Amelia Earhart mystery takes bizarre twist
Updated March 4, 2011 08:50:13

Rumours involving sunken treasure and one of the world's great aviation mysteries are swirling around the island of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea.
Locals believe a plane wreck could be the final resting place of the American airwoman Amelia Earhart who disappeared somewhere over the Pacific in 1937.
Even more incredibly they say there's gold bullion on board and that a giant snake is guarding the wreck.
But an expert on Earhart's disappearance says the claim is "silly beyond description".
PNG correspondent Liam Fox reports.

Presenter: Liam Fox
Speakers: Cletus Harepa, Businessman; Ric Gillespie, International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery.

 

  Listen here ! 

 

FOX: The rumour mill, or coconut wireless, as its known is always running hot on Bougainville. Many of the tall tales that fly around the island involve gold.

One of them was given prominence by the Post Courier newspaper this week with the front-page headline "Plane wreck believed to be Earhart". It said there are "strong indications" a plane wreck found off the coast of Bougainville was the one flown by Amelia Earhart, who famously disappeared in 1937 while attempting to become the first pilot to circle the globe close to the equator.

If that wasn't amazing enough the report said there was gold bullion on board and a six-metre snake was guarding the wreck. The man at the centre of the claim is local businessman Cletus Harepa who's paying for divers to inspect the wreck.

HAREPA: Somebody saw it when they were diving for fish and they saw the plane but they didn't know the plane was Amelia's plane until I got my divers to dive 70 to 100 metres down, and I told my divers, got and get something from inside.

FOX: He says a diver found two skulls in the cockpit and three boxes of gold bullion but the bars were too heavy to carry to the surface.

FOX: What will you do if you recover the gold? Will you keep it for yourself or do you give it to the government ? What's your plan?

HAREPA: The government can have some, I will have some. What I want to do is to improve the island. Get a good hospital, a good school, good water supply.

FOX: Mr Harepa admits they're yet to find proof the wreck is Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra, but he's confident it is the plane because of another, older rumour that female pilots used to smuggle gold out of Lae on the PNG mainland in the 1930s. Lae was Earhart's last stop before she vanished.
Mr Harepa does say however that the story about the giant snake is rubbish.

HAREPA: It's an eel, it's a brown eel that uses the plane as just a place to hide.

FOX: American Ric Gillespie is a leading expert on the Earhart mystery and has spent the last 22 years trying to find her final resting place.

GILLESPIE: These stories about gold bullion and a six-metre snake guarding the wreckage are just frankly hilarious. There is simply no way that the Earhart aircraft could be anywhere near Papua New Guinea.

FOX: Mr Gillespie says radio transmissions and other evidence indicates Earhart landed on Nikumaroro atoll in the Central Pacific, where she and her navigator later perished from a lack of food and water. He says the story coming out of Bougainville is testament to the enduring mystery surrounding her disappearance.

GILLESPIE: The whole thing is silly beyond description, but I guess it's just an indication of how popular the Earhart mystery is, and how everybody wants a piece of that action.

FOX: Meanwhile gold fever has broken out on Bougainville with armed men reportedly preventing outsiders from diving on the wreck.

 

 

03.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BILLS PAYMENT
By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville Electoral Commissioner REITAMA TARAVARU says that all outstanding bills from the last ABG election would be settled before the Election is carried out.
He told New Dawn FM this afternoon that the ABG would pay for the bill as the bills were incurred during the ABG Elections.
MR. TARAVARU says that because the ABG last week secured the long awaited FIFTEEN MILLION KINA all these bills would be settled.
He said that the North Bougainville By-election is a national government election and funds for the election totaling K2.6Million kina would be met by the National Government.
MR. TARAVARU says that they are already running Awareness Trainings in preparation for the coming By election.
He also announced the dates for the election as,
Issue of writs and Opening of Nomination March 21,
Close of Nomination March 28,
Polling Commence on 14th May.
Polling ends on May 20th and Return of writs by June 10 2011.

 

 

03.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BY ELECTION ON
By Aloysius Laukai

North Bougainville is gearing up for the by-election for the North Bougainville seat left vacant by the former member, MICHAEL OGIO who is now the new Governor General for Papua New Guinea.
In making the official announcement in Buka this afternoon, PNG ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER ANDREW TRAWEN said that under the law a by election must be carried out for the vacant seat.
He flushed aside rumors that the second or runner up for the 2007 election will take up the post.
MR. TRAWEN said that under section 106 of the Election act a by election must be carried out when the date for the next general election is more than 12 months away.
The Papua New Guinea Electoral Commissioner also announced that a total of K2.6 Million kina would be used in the coming by election.

 

 

03.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

 

Armed men guard wreck

 

ARMED men  are  now  guarding  what is believed to be the last resting place for aviator Amelia Earhart in Bougainville’s low-lying Matsungan Island.

Security has been beefed up on the island by the local group carrying out the expedition as the diving investigation continues.
As the investigation continues on the island, interest in the relic has picked up all over the world, with many journalists, organisations and researchers calling to inquire about the Post-Courier report and also to come over to PNG.
And yesterday the Autonomous Bougainville Government warned that the relic belongs to the State and everything must be done under the PNG laws.
The Post-Courier Buka office has been flooded with reactions from the world, with many saying it was untrue while others gave in to the news.
The Post-Courier Buka office received calls and emails from international journalists, organisations and others who wanted to know about the plane, while some are already interested in making their way to Bougainville.
One of the biggest question callers and those online were asking was “how do this Bougainvillean local group know that’s Amelia Earhart’s plane?” The group had been given a checklist to carry out since their mission 11 years ago. There were given 11 points to confirm by a US agent (named) who has been working with the Amelia Earhart group in the United States. According to the Buka group, eight of the 11 checklists have been done and only three were not completed.
The dive is very difficult for the divers because of the coral covering the left side of the plane. But the group is optimistic the expedition will achieve its objective, now that the world knows about the crash site.
The Autonomous Bougainville Government is fully aware of the relic but has warned that everything is under protection and the Government of PNG remains the legal custodian.
Bougainville’s Minister for Culture and Tourism Joseph Egilio, in a press conference yesterday, appeared worried that the issue may get out of hand. He was referring to the alleged Amelia Earhart plane purportedly found North West of Buka Island.
On an official level, Mr Egilio as the Minister responsible and his officials have not been fully briefed on what is happening but advised they would now have to take charge because it will involve a lot of issues. Egilio said he has been aware of the plane wreck for a long time and commended the local group and the local businessman for taking the initiative to investigate the crash. But he warned that the Government will still have to take charge of the issue once confirmation is made but because the ABG had no policy of its own the National Government was the automatic custodian of the wreck.
“Everything comes under protection. The Government is the custodian of every historical relic. The ABG does not have its own policy so the National Government automatically takes over, which means it is still the legal custodian,” Mr Egilio said.

 

03.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Ogio’s bills still unpaid
By GOROTHY KENNETH

IRRITATED service providers in Bougainville want Governor-General Michael Ogio to tell them when he will pay up his outstanding debts incurred since 2007.
An irate service provider who runs a guest house in Buka, said it’s been four years since she has been following up on her outstanding debts with the former North Bougainville MP.
Mr Ogio occupied many of her rooms and was served with his scrutineers during the 2007 elections and never paid his bills, estimated to be about K110,000.
Another service provider in Buka was also very worried because Mr Ogio left his north Bougainville seat without settling his debts.
He told the Post-Courier Mr Ogio owed him more than K100,000 for services rendered since 2007, during the general elections and also after he was declared an MP.
The Post-Courier was told yesterday that the Queen’s representative is no longer answerable to the query of the claims as he was now in a different office.
Meanwhile, the deputy president of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) in Bougainville, Lawrence Banae, has officially announced there will only be two candidates contesting the seat left vacant by Mr Ogio.
Mr Banae named the two as former ABG MP for Atolls Pais Taehu and Damien Kora.

 

03.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Fishing boats worry islanders
By Peterson Tseraha

MORE fishing vessels are being sighted off the coast of Buka, some very close to the shore where villeagers normally use canoes to fish.
Fishermen from the Hagogohe and Haku constituency, Carterets and Fead islands complained over the weekend and demanded an explanation from the Government on whether these vessels were licensed to fish in their waters or not.
It is a common sight every night villagers stand on the cliff and watch something like seven to eight vessels throwing nets and taking fish into their ships. It has also been reported that dead fish are found in the mornings when the ships are sighted at night.
According to Carterets and Fead islanders, the vessels entering their waters had their names covered with canvas so that people would not know the vessels’ identities.
A concerned fisherman who wished to remain anonymous said these are deliberate actions taken by these vessels because they are not doing something legal.
“We want the government to intervene now, can we have the PNGDF patrol our waters and keep our fish safe?” the fisherman said. “We normally find dead fish in the morning which are rejected by the fishing vessels, small fish especially tuna, they only get the big ones for markets,” he said.
A village chief in Fead Island claimed that a vessel fishing in their waters had some Papua new Guineans on board and they were speaking Pidgin to them.
“We took a boat and told them to move out by signalling and waving at them, the captain was a Pilipino who just went straight ahead and put the vessel on full steam,” the chief said.

 

 

03.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Ex-servicemen want answers

 

MORE than 2000 Bougainvillean ex-servicemen are demanding to know when their claims would be settled by the National Government.
Yesterday, president of the Bougainville Ex-servicemen Association James Kopi relayed the members’ message, saying the Government had not honoured its commitment in compensating them of their “savings” or pay owed to them.
Mr Kopi said he has been under pressure over the issue as Bougainvilleans are demanding answers every day.
Mr Kopi has appealed to the authorities to at least respond to the claims by the Bougainvilleans who worked hard in the foundation or formation years of the PNG Government.
“Bougainville members are waiting to receive their outstanding claims. They request that President Teddy Ambing announce when the payment can be done or if there is any on behalf of the members,” Mr Kopi said.
“We understand our Parliament under our Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has released a budget to pay our all his debts in PNG, as Government of the day, can we the ex-servicemen be paid at least some money? It’s been five years since we have been waiting.”

 

03.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Dry spell hits Bougainville atolls
By Joyce Tohui

BOUGAINVILLE’S atolls are in dire need of water and food due to the long dry spell in the last three months.
Chairman of the Caterets council of elders Bernard Tunim said his people have been hit hard by the dry spell. Also affected are the Nissan, Nuguria, Motlock and Fead islands.
“We have had difficulty in growing food gardens since the soil is heated up and nothing can grow,” he said.
“Everything living is in need of water and food since the islands are becoming a desert.
“We the people especially cannot cope anymore with this problem as it still prolongs and uncertainty is of great concern for us.”
School children will be affected because schools will be forced to close if the dry spell drags on.
“Education is a commodity for us and we really cannot allow this to disturb our children’s education,” Mr Tunim said.
He said he has approached Bougainville administration and the provincial disaster office but they have no funds to assist.
“This was a matter of great concern and has been reported a lot of time, however we still get to hear the same sentiments in the tune of no money and a research team to be sent to the islands to carry out the surveys and this was not a good sign for us,” he said.
Mr Tunim said the island is not serviced by a regular shipping service so the people cannot really help themselves.
“Shipping service to the islands is not regular and expensive and through our own initiative we risk our lives to hop on dinghies to try to bring our peoples cries to the government but are still pending,” Mr Tunim said.
“On behalf of my people in the islands of the Atolls and Nissan constituencies, I strongly urged the government to hear my people’s cry and help us.
“To tell you the truth, we are suffering.”

 

 

03.03.2011
Source: The National

Bougainville requests for more Aussie aid
By SINCLAIRE SOLOMON

BOUGAINVILLE Autonomous Region President John Momis has asked Australia for more aid, saying that a referendum on independence from Papua New Guinea as early as 2015 could become a real contest.
He said on Tuesday in the Australian capital, Canberra, where he is visiting for a week, that he was also concerned with the Bougainville peace process.
According to Radio Australia, Momis had also warned that the autonomous government must be able to deliver real benefits to its people if autonomy was to be seen as a genuine alternative.
He also confirmed that there was a good chance of reopening the BCL’s Panguna copper-gold mine or starting new mines on the island but added that revenues from such projects would take too long to flow.
Momis told the radio service: “I very much hope that in making decisions about the allocation of its increasing aid budget, Australia is able to allocate significant new support to Bougainville.
“This is not a matter of growing dependence, rather we will mainly need increased support in these next few years before sustainable long term revenues begin to flow.”
The Panguna mine was closed in 1988 after landowners’ anger, over the share of benefits from the mine and its environmental impact, boiled over into a bloody 10-year civil war.
Peace had since returned, Bougainville has autonomy and the people will decide at referendum on independence between 2015 and 2020.
It had been suggested that the reopened Panguna mine could provide Bougainville with the economic resources it needed to make independence a viable possibility.
Momis and Australia’s parliamentary secretary for Pacific Island affairs Richard Marles are expected to meet later this week.
Marles told Radio Australia yesterday that he cared about the future of Bougainville and planned to travel there soon.
“The Panguna mine is clearly a sensitive issue within Bougainville,” he said, adding that he had met Rio Tinto executives.
“They made it clear that they have no intention of going back to or reopening the mine without the permission of the landowners, and without the permission of both the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the PNG government,” Marles said.
“This is a matter for the governments of PNG, of Bougainville and the landowners.
“That’s where we are going to take the lead in terms of the future of the mine.”

 

 

02.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BISHOP ON MINE
By Aloysius Laukai

The Bishop of Bougainville, Bishop Bernard Unabali does not support the opening of so many mines on Bougainville.
He says that the island of Bougainville is very small and its environment can be destroyed if mining is allowed all over Bougainville.
The Bishop says that he will only support the opening of the Panguna mine if environmental issues along the tailings are properly addressed.
Bishop Bernard told reporters in Buka that he was concerned as the island could lose its forest, flora and fauna and the river systems if several mines were opened on Bougainville.
Meanwhile on the Chinese investments on Bougainville, Bishop Bernard also wants the ABG to set up a good policy that can attract investments on Bougainville.
He said that whilst the President may be dealing with credible organizations and companies now, other companies that would come in later may not be so good therefore a good policy can control these activities.
The Bishop of Bougainville said that to save guard Bougainville a good controlling mechanism must be established.

 

 

02.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

POLICE TO BE SCRUTINIZED
By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville Police Chief, ACP Thomas Eluh has announced telephone lines that can be called to report abuses by members of the Bougainville Police Service.
This followed a report that an off duty Policeman had bashed up a Doctor from the Buka General Hospital near the Kamarau wharf.
The Policeman was believed to be under the influence of Liquor.
ACP Eluh has engaged the Buka Police Station Commander, Alex Gunan to immediately investigate the incident.
The Police Hotline numbers are, 9739907 or Fax 9739922 or mobile number, 72010067.
Meanwhile, New Dawn FM understands relatives of the doctor are now demanding compensation from the Police officer.

 

 

02.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Adviser lauds Bougainville effort
By Joyce Tohui

TEACHING Service Commission Regional Advisor for New Guinea Islands, Tony Tsora is happy with the progress Bougainville has made so far to re-establish educational institutions in the region.
With the new Haku Day High School taking in students, vocational schools catering to more students and plans underway for new schools such as the Tinputz Technical College, Bougainville is heading for an educated future which is repeating history, according to Mr Tsora.
The former CEO for the Bougainville Education Division told the Post Courier that this was another milestone for Bougainville to take in more students in education institutions in the region.
Mr Tsora said in line with that, Bougainville must have a Teachers College in place to train more teachers to cater for these institutions.
He said that this was to replace aging teachers from the years 60’s and 70’s who are still in the field.
“There are many changes in learning nowadays as to the introduction of modern technology and a computerised world, teachers must adapt to these changes, they must have the qualified skills and knowledge to pass on to the new generation of Bougainville who will lead the region in future, he said.
“Education is very important and very powerful in terms of development and building a strong human resource for the region.

 

02.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Rise in cargo cult, sorcery worries bishop

THE increase in cargo cult and sorcery related activities in Bougainville were becoming a worry for the Catholic Church in the region.
Catholic Bishop of Bougainville Bishop Bernard Unabali illegal social activities have resulted in deaths in families and conflicts among the communities on the island.
He said one of the reasons why these activities were on the rise was because people have turned away from their spiritual lives, cultural and social values in life.
Bishop Unabali was now calling on all communities and leaders to make sure that cultural values were upheld, strong spiritual life maintained and the implications of the social problems were seriously taken into account.
He also singled out that Bougainville should learn to uphold its dignity by maintaining its spiritual, social and physical self.
He also spoke on how the public schools will soon change itheir curriculum to best suit the community and Bougainville.
Cargo cult has been an issue on Bougainville for the last few years.
In Buka there is a group that maintains a king and queen theory of being Jesus and in Manetai there is also a known cargo cultist group operating.
Sorcery has also been a very big problem in Bougainville. Lives have been taken over claims of sorcery and the Buka Hospital has recently raised concerns about the increased number of patients bashed and killed over suspected sorcery.

 

02.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Divers to confirm wreck

DIVERs are about to try to confirm the final bit of evidence to prove a plane wreck off Bougainville is really that of the long lost flyer Amelia Earhart .
The Bougainville Amelia Expedition team in Buka have a checklist given to them by the American Group that they have been in contact since 2009 and who has been assisting them from the United States on the mission.
The US group (named) is also establishing contacts with the US State Department in America to try and help the Bougainville team with equipment and assistance they need to do their final investigation and confirmation.
The divers and the local group are currently camping at the island where the crash site is located and have been progressing their expedition to confirm the last thing they are going to need to prove that the plane is really Earhart’s.
And the group, although, have found gold in the plane, are also trying to determine if the gold was smuggled out from the Wau gold field from that era as Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan made their last flight out of Lae before they mysteriously disappeared.
The divers and the local group involved have detailed to the group in the US that they are now checking the fuel fillers of the plane, one of the last things to check before the checklist is complete.
They identified that there are two sculls still in the plane, one at the pilot side.
The expedition has also found that the plane is a twin tail aircraft, the front with antenna loop is still intact, the window at the right side is above the wing, the front rivets are in the middle of the windscreen and the plane’s left wing is damaged and grossly covered in coral.
The disappearance of Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan has been one of the great mysteries in the world.
Yesterday, the oldest man, now 95, Amos Sipiria, said he was a young boy going to school when the plane crashed into the sea amidst heavy rains, clouds covering the sky and lightning on an early morning.

Amelie Earhart infront of her plane.

 

 

01.03.2011
Source: ABC News

Bougainville tells Australia it needs more aid

 

Bougainville president John Momis is asking Australia for more aid if a referendum on independence from Papua New Guinea as early as 2015 is to be genuine.
Mr Momis will meet officials in Canberra this week.
He has warned Bougainville's autonomous government must be able to deliver real benefits to the population if autonomy is to be seen as a genuine alternative.
He says there is a good chance of reopening the Panguna gold and copper mine or commencing new mines, but says revenue from such projects will take too long to flow through.
"This is not a matter of growing dependence," he said.
"Rather, we will mainly need increased support in these next few years before sustainable long-term revenues begin to flow."

 

 

01.03.2011
Source: ESBC research

Semoso Confirms

In a message to ESBC President Axel G. Sturm the PNG Minister of Bougainville Affairs, Hon. Fidelis Semoso confirms that the views of Me'ekamui fighters like Chris Uma are "well represented thru the Ex Combatants Representative in the ABG former BRA leader Mr David Sisito which is the elected and mandated voice of ex combatants in the ABG. The process towards re opening of panguna is gaining momentum with November 2011 being targetted as a possible timeframe to conclude and sign a Heads of Agreement." says Mr. Semoso.

 

 

01.03.2011
Source: ABC Radio Australia - Asia Pacific Business

Bougainville appeals for more Australian aid

Bougainville's President John Momis says Australia must give more of its increasing aid budget to Bougainville if an approaching referendum on independence from Papua New Guinea is to be a real contest.

Bougainville's autonomous government is contemplating re-opening the controversial Panguna
Presenter: Linda Mottram
Speakers: John Momis, President Bougainville Autonomous Government; Richard Marles, Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs

 

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MOTTRAM: Before any official work could be done in Canberra, John Momis had an important appointment in the nearby New South Wales country town of Crookwell.

 

FX: (laughter)

 

MOTTRAM: Crookwell is home to the man John Momis calls his spiritual mentor, retired 96 year old Catholic priest Wally Fingleton, a man who spent 27 years working in Bougainville, and who even baptised John Momis. It was a fond reunion.

 

MOMIS: His Mum, his Mum visited him. She was already an old lady and she came to Buin when there was no roads.

 

MOTTRAM: Back in Canberra, speaking at the Australian National University, John Momis, a veteran of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville politics, wasted no time underlining his concerns about weaknesses in the 11 year old Bougainville peace process.

 

MOMIS: They contribute to risks of a resumption of conflict, something that would cause incalculable harm in Bougainville. Like the conflict from 1988 to 1997, renewed conflict could threaten the integrity of PNG and the stability of the wider region.

 

MOTTRAM: John Momis says there have been big improvements through the peace agreement, particularly in getting former enemies to work together. But he says more flesh is needed on the bones, as Bougainville heads to a referendum as early as 2015 and no later than 2020 - a choice between autonomy within PNG and independence. Significant difficulties have included the slow pace of the transfer of powers from the central government to Bougainville, PNG's failure to pay grants and a lack of capacity on Bougainville's side. John Momis says that's strained government to government relations and undermined confidence among would-be separatists.

 

MOMIS: As a signatory to the agreement I am committed to what it provides, both autonomy and the holding of a referendum. At the same time, when the referendum is held, I want people to have a real choice between either the goal of independence, long cherished by many, or an existing autonomy that really delivers the intended benefits.

 

MOTTRAM: He says that means the autonomous government has to be effective in delivering services and equitable development while empowering Bougainvilleans. Progress was made on two years worth of withheld grants when two weeks ago, a key body, the Joint Supervisory Body met after long delays and PNG provided the money, millions of Kina. PNG has also now promised much more money in the future, though that's not guaranteed. And John Momis says that's where Boungainville's partners come in.

 

MOMIS: I very much hope that in making decisions about the allocation of its increasing aid budget, Australia is able to allocate significant new support to Bougainville. This is not a matter of growing dependence, rather we will mainly need increased support in these next few years before sustainable long term revenues begin to flow.

 

MOTTRAM: That most likely means mining, with John Momis saying there is a wide consensus among Bougainvilleans the mining, either at the old Panguna mine, or elsewhere should resume, though on more equitable and environmentally acceptable terms than during the divisive colonial years.

Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Richard Marles, intends to travel to Bougainville soon.

 

MARLES: We care very much about the economic future of Bougainville. The Panguna mine is clearly a very sensitive issue within Bougainville. I actually met with executives of Rio Tinto recently and they made it clear that they have no intention of going back to or reopening the mine with the permission of the land owners, and without the permission of both the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the PNG government and in a way that states the position. This is a matter for the governments of PNG, of Bougainville and the land owners. That's where we're going to take out lead in terms of the future of the mine.

 

MOTTRAM: On the peace process overall, Mr Marles says recent developments in the processes sound very positive. But he's keen to get a reading on the ground as soon as possible. And on the aid question, Richard Marles will doubtless hear John Momis' plea when they meet in Canberra later this week.
 

 

01.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ELECTION APPEAL
By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville Police chief, ACP Thomasd Eluh has urged the people of North Bougainville to conduct the National North Bougainville Open By Election in a peaceful manner.
He urged everyone to take the election seriously and elect a good leader to serve the people.
ACP Eluh said that Bougainvilleans have proven to the world that democracy truly prevails in the region with the success of previous peaceful Regional and National Elections since 2005.
He said that Police and Electoral Officers would be visiting villages soon to carry out awareness to educate the public on matters regarding the elections.
New Dawn FM has received reports that the number of intending candidates for this election has already past 30.

 

01.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BOAT RESELLERS CAPTURED
By Aloysius Laukai

Buka Police have finally captured the three suspects who allegedly stole a New Zealand Police Outboard Motor in Buka recently.
The suspects are JIM JIUH aged 31 of Petats island and Zebedee Benjamin aged 20 both small boat skippers.
Police arrested them for aiding and conveying stolen property of the New Zealand government.
The third suspect Cedric Sawan 35 of Siwai was also charged under the criminal code for having did counsel the stealing of the outboat motor engine.
The three were captured trying to cross over to the Solomon Islands to sell the stolen boat engine.

 

01.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

CHURCH MUST BE FULLY UTILIZED
By Aloysius Laukai

Bishop of Bougainville Diocese, BISHOP BENARD UNABALI is calling on the ABG to involve the Catholic church in many of its programs in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville .
He told a Press conference yesterday that many times the church is asked to assist when they face problems already.
Bishop Benard Unabali said that the church has more than One Hundred years of involvement with the people of Bougainville and should be taken on board as a major stakeholder.
He was commenting on the current discussions on Panguna where the church is again left out.

 

 

01.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BISHOP ON ROADS
By Aloysius Laukai

Bishop of Bougainville, BENARD UNABALI wants the BCL agreement review to also include the building of new roads into the rural areas.
He said that there are many rural areas like Torokina and Paruparu areas that needs to be linked by road.
Bishop Benard Unabali made this comments during his first Press conference in Buka yesterday.
He said that if the Government can build roads to every village on Bougainville the people themselves can then start businesses that could improve their standards of living in their areas.

 

01.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BOUGAINVILLE DIOCESE VISION
By Aloysius Laukai

Eight months after his consecration as Bishop of Bougainville,
BENARD UNABALI is already setting the roadmap for the Diocese of Bougainville.
Bishop Benard wants to see the Catholic church fully participate in the economic development in the Autonomous Region.
In his first Press Conference since his consecration yesterday, BISHOP BENARD UNABALI told reporters in Buka that he wanted to see changes in Bougainville.
His lordship Bishop Unabali talked on issues concerning, development, education, health, mining and the role of Media on Bougainville.
He also announced plans to make the Catholic church move into the economic activity mode to support the churches programs in the Region starting with the rezoning of Hahela Parish land.

 

01.03.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SUSPECT AT LARGE
By Aloysius Laukai

A suspect from Tuhus village in the Haku area of Buka island is still at large after attempted to behead his victim last Wednesday 25th February.
Buka Police have reported that the victim RISIN TAGU a male adult was on his way to bath at a nearby waterhole at around 8pm when the suspect DERRICK HAKOT who is a marijuana addict, sneaked up from behind the victim and swung a Tramontina Bush Knife at his neck.
The victim was saved by his bath towel which he was wearing around his neck and managed to escape his attacker.
Police are investigating the incident.

 

 

01.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Bougainville bishop wants info

THE Bougainville Catholic Church wants a complete information package before the talks of reopening the Panguna Mine could be held.
Catholic Bishop of Bougainville Bishop Bernard Unabali in his first press conference since taking office a year ago handed down the church’s stand on mining in Bougainville.
The churches played a major role in bringing about peace on Bougainville after the crisis.
The Catholic Church was one of the biggest players in this. They were silent achievers who never talked about what they did to bring about peace and change in Bougainville.
Bishop Unabali said yesterday that the church will back Bougainville with full support if there is a clear program on the social, physical, economical and spiritual aspects of re-opening the mine again.
He singled out the past issues that affected the population of Bougainville and how people suffered and said authorities should now learn from the past and correct the mistakes.
He spoke of how money crippled the minds of the leaders and how people’s mindset was centred on money and this caused all the problems.
“Independence and money alone cannot move Bougainville forward. Money was the root cause of the Bougainville crisis. Money caused disrespect, fights where people were killed and caused problems on Bougainville.
“People are always centred on money and that’s why we are facing these issues,” Bishop Unabali said.
“There should be a clear program, a full comprehensive information package on the issue to the people of Bougainville, especially the landowners before the opening of the mine.
“People need the support at every level. We are not against the mine re-opening. What we are saying is that we need a full comprehensive information package before we can talk about mine re-opening,” Bishop Unabali said.

 

01.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

Bougainvilleans warn visitors to island
By GORETHY KENNETH

NO one is allowed to travel to Bougainville and make an attempt to visit a plane wreck of Amelia Earhart, locals warned yesterday.
An aircraft said to fit the description of Earhart’s Lockheed 10E Electra is resting at the depth of 70 metres on a reef at Matsungan Island, northwest of Buka.
The group carrying out the confirmation expedition headed by David Mona and businessman Cletus Harepa have warned that any divers from overseas or outside Bougainville planning a “diving” trip to the crash site would have to seek permission from them.
Speaking to the Post-Courier yesterday, Mr Mona said his group had been working on the expedition for 11 years since 2000.
He said he engaged businessman Mr Harepa to fund the mission. He said so far more than K50,000 has been spent to carry out the confirmation on the wreck.
Mr Mona appeared irritated that the discovery was splashed on the front page of the Post-Courier newspaper yesterday.
He said some information was still sketchy but he advised they were now working to complete their mission.
He said the Autonomous Bougainville Government was already aware of the issue and had been briefed on the diving operation.
Meanwhile, concerns have now been raised by Bougainvilleans living on the coastal areas that the ABG and all marine authorities both on a local and national level should now beef up their security alerts as sightings of illegal ships have been frequently reported.
There have been reports both from Customs office in Buka and from fishermen all across Bougainville and Buka especially about long-liners, fishing vessels and other boats fishing and seen around the coastal areas of the island, mainly parts of Haku, Carterets and the surrounding Petats, Matsungan and Pororan Islands.
They called for all ships to be screened and their activities in the area monitored.

 

01.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier

History for Arawa
Huge crowd welcome rugby league back to Bovo
By REUBEN KALAUNG in Buka

A BUMBER crowd packed the Bovo oval in Arawa, Central Bougainville last Sunday to witness the first ever rugby league clash between Buka’s Tsitalato Warriors and Arawa Storms following the civil insurgence.
The rugby league contest is an exchange match for the Arawa team, who played in Buka in the round one clash the previous weekend. More than 30 players, team officials, and BRFL executives travelled for four hours across to Arawa last Saturday for the round two match on Sunday.
Although the Warriors from Buka stole the show by bagging wins in both the A and B grade games, the match was a “uniting force” among youths from Buka and Central Bougainville.
Former BRA commander, now a born -again Christian, Ismael Toroama was present at the games. Another ex-combatant commander Dominic Torona was actively involved as the games progressed.
He was seen running on and off the field to provide water, first aid to injured players and even coaching.
A challenge has been issued to Arawa, Panguna, Kieta, Toniva, Rorovana and other parts of Central and the entire regional to register clubs for the BRFL season proper which commences in April. The same has been issued to North and South Bougainville.
Regional Member and Minister for Bougainville Affairs and Trade Fidelis Semoso and his family also travelled with the Buka team to Arawa to help support and promote the code under BRFL’s “Peace through League”.
Semoso, who kicked off the Arawa clash was proud to announce a total K45,000 funding to Arawa rugby league. K25,000 of which will go towards reviving Arawa league while the other K20,000 will provide a facelift to the Bovo oval.
Buka businessman and Warriors team manager Francis Botsia, who financed the travel to Arawa says the Bovo oval once created some top rugby league players including John Wagambie, Oti Asotau, Lauta Atoi and a host of others.
Arawa women’s leader and landowner Therese Jaintong expressed her support for the return of rugby league in Arawa and was delighted to allow usage of the Bovo oval by BRFL.
The pre-season competition is also the selection trials for the Bougainville representative team to participate in the NGI 9’s challenge in Kokopo next month. Agmark Gurias’ selectors will be eyeing potential players in the NGI region during the challenge to select players for the Gurias line-up.
Meantime, BRFL president Micah James has reminded all clubs to pay up their club registration of K350 and K10 player registration before this weekend or get axed from the BRFL season 2011.

 

 

01.03.2011
Source: The National

BCL to revise tailings options
By SINCLAIRE SOLOMON

BOUGAINVILLE Copper Ltd will review its mine tailings disposal options when it reopens the Panguna mine, chairman and managing director Peter Taylor said.
In an in-depth interview on Radio Australia, he said it was up to the landowners and the government which method they wanted.
“So we will have to look at the available tailings disposal mechanisms.
“Technology has moved on, so we’ve now got options we didn’t have before.
“But at the end of the day, the landowners and the government are going to have a fairly significant input on that and they’ll have to decide which method they want.
“They can’t have the mine without tailings so they have to go together.”
Taylor did not say whether one option was the deep sea tailings placement (DSTP) system, one which Ramu nickel project developer, Ramu NiCo Management, wants to use for its Basamuk Bay refinery which a group of landowners have opposed and are fighting to stop through the National Court in Madang.
The Panguna mine closed in 1988 after it became the spark which ignited a 10-year civil war.
Taylor believed it would take at least five years to reopen it.
He added that there was a lot of misinformation about the Jaba River and the so-called environmental damage.
“The material that was put into the river is a very finely ground rock so you get this siltation in the river which means we keep putting levy banks up because the river bed rises.
“There was never any toxic material put down there.
“Quite often I read articles about there being cyanide.
“People have to remember gold and copper were never produced at the mine; only a concentrate, so those sorts of chemicals were never used.”
On compensation for damage done to the Jaba River,
Taylor said there was a compensation agreement in place between BCL, the landowners and the company directly but it lapsed when mining was suspended.
“So there’s a question of what is equitable for compensating for the period between mining being suspended and when it starts again.
“Most of the compensation was paid as royalty and paid initially directly to the PNG government which was always a bone of contention, and then paid back to the provincial government, which in turn, paid the landowners only part of that.
“This renegotiation we are going to have, we’ll have to look at all of that and look at what sort of regime is appropriate for the future not what happened in the past.”
He said that having mining operations suspended for more than 20 years had given them an opportunity to study what happened if nature alone was allowed to take its course.
Taylor said that the engineering had also withstood the test of time, for example the pit had to be drained and whether the drainage tunnel still worked.
“There is no water accumulating in the pit.
“The faces of the pit are stable. There’s been some minor degradation, but pretty good.”
He added that the tailings disposal area was rehabilitating itself, the Jaba River was rehabilitating itself and the waste dumps were still intact, all which he put down to “an excellent engineering job”.

 

01.03.2011
Source: The National

Eluh wants smooth by-election

BOUGAINVILLE police chief ACP Thomas Eluh has urged North Bougainvilleans to conduct its by-election peacefully.
He urged everyone to take the election seriously with the main aim of electing a good leader to serve the people.
Eluh said Bougainvilleans had already proven that democracy truly prevailed in the region with the success of previous elections since 2005.
“I appeal to North Bougainvilleans not to engage in bad practices such as accepting bribes from intending candidates but to use wisdom in carefully choosing the right leader who will take the seat left vacant by former North Bougainville National MP Michael Ogio,” he added.
He said police personnel and electoral workers would be going out shortly into villages to conduct pre-election public awareness.
Meanwhile, police in Buka have finally captured three suspects alleged to have been involved in stealing an outboard motor belonging to New Zealand police in Buka.
Jim Tsiuh, 31, of Petats Island and Zebedee Benjamin Sawan, 20, were arrested and charged with aiding in conveying property reasonably suspected of being stolen with a Yamaha 60 horse power motor,  the property of the New Zealand government.
Third suspect, Cedric Sawan, 35, of Siwai was also charged with stealing  the outboard motor engine.
The three were captured while trying to cross over to the Solomon Islands to sell the engine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

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