In a ministerial statement to the Bougainville House of Representatives the President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), Dr John Momis, stated the importance of a functional Panguna mine to development.
“My government believes that an operating Panguna mine will be catalytic to Bougainville’s economic development, generating much needed revenue to support other sectors of our economy,” President Momis said.
“My government in 2010 not only endorsed the previous government’s decision to negotiate the reopening of the Panguna mine but also accelerated in the last three years preparations by ABG and Panguna mine affected landowners to negotiate its reopening.”
President Momis also used his statement to speak to the ongoing involvement and consultation with mine affected landowners.
“The government has invested much from its own meagre resources to ensure that Panguna mine affected landowners play a central role in any decisions concerning the mine and that the wider Bougainvile community also have an opportunity to express their views on the future of Panguna mine,” Momis continued.
“Regional public forums have been conducted throughout the length and breadth of Bougainville to gauge the views of Bougainvilleans including workshops with ex-combatants on the reopening of Panguna mine.”
“Engagements with landowners through the 9 established landowner associations are continuing on a by-monthly basis.”
BCL will meet with representatives from the ABG and landowner associations later in January at the first meeting of the Joint Panguna Negotiation Coordination Committee for 2014.