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BOUGAINVILLE Vice-President Raymond Masono is pleased with the support of the people of Panguna.
Mr Masono, who is also Minister of Mining, thanked the Panguna Mine-affected landowners particularly the Special Mining Lease Osikayang Landowner Association, ex-combatants, women, new-generation landowners and the people of Panguna for supporting ABG for Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) to redevelop the giant Panguna mine in Central Bougainville.
In doing so, Mr Masono disputed an article on Monday’s paper as biased and further stated that the meeting in Arawa on Thursday, June 1, was to communicate the majority decision reached by Panguna landowners and stakeholders of the Panguna mine.
He said as a government that believes in consultation, the ABG again gave every faction in Arawa, including women and hardliners, the opportunity to express their views, but the decision had been made by the people of Panguna who owned the land and supported the ABG.
The vice president led a high level delegation to the mine site on Wednesday May 31, 2017, to consult with the Panguna landowners and stakeholders whether they supported the ABG’s decision. The answer to reopening THE Panguna Mine with BCL as the preferred developer was a resounding ‘yes’, as Mr Masono said.
He said the positive response now paves the way for the ABG, landowners, BCL and of course, the National Government to work together to remove the impediments to reopening the mine. Most importantly it gives the people of Panguna and Bougainville hope for a better future moving forward.
Mr Masono said a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is being finalised and will be signed in Panguna on June 15 to coincide with ABG’s 13th Anniversary celebration.
After the signing, a smaller version of the planned ‘bel kol’ ceremony between landowners and BCL will be staged to enable BCL to have access to and from the mine site to conduct pre-feasibility, feasibility and other social and economic studies relating to the reopening of the mine.
“I am calling on BCL to immediately re-establish its presence in Bougainville on a full-time basis instead of continuing to operate by remote control from Port Moresby,” said Mr Masono.
Mr Masono, who is also Minister of Mining, thanked the Panguna Mine-affected landowners particularly the Special Mining Lease Osikayang Landowner Association, ex-combatants, women, new-generation landowners and the people of Panguna for supporting ABG for Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) to redevelop the giant Panguna mine in Central Bougainville.
In doing so, Mr Masono disputed an article on Monday’s paper as biased and further stated that the meeting in Arawa on Thursday, June 1, was to communicate the majority decision reached by Panguna landowners and stakeholders of the Panguna mine.
He said as a government that believes in consultation, the ABG again gave every faction in Arawa, including women and hardliners, the opportunity to express their views, but the decision had been made by the people of Panguna who owned the land and supported the ABG.
The vice president led a high level delegation to the mine site on Wednesday May 31, 2017, to consult with the Panguna landowners and stakeholders whether they supported the ABG’s decision. The answer to reopening THE Panguna Mine with BCL as the preferred developer was a resounding ‘yes’, as Mr Masono said.
He said the positive response now paves the way for the ABG, landowners, BCL and of course, the National Government to work together to remove the impediments to reopening the mine. Most importantly it gives the people of Panguna and Bougainville hope for a better future moving forward.
Mr Masono said a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is being finalised and will be signed in Panguna on June 15 to coincide with ABG’s 13th Anniversary celebration.
After the signing, a smaller version of the planned ‘bel kol’ ceremony between landowners and BCL will be staged to enable BCL to have access to and from the mine site to conduct pre-feasibility, feasibility and other social and economic studies relating to the reopening of the mine.
“I am calling on BCL to immediately re-establish its presence in Bougainville on a full-time basis instead of continuing to operate by remote control from Port Moresby,” said Mr Masono.
