Dec 8 2014

Bougainville Good News Story: What Rorovana has done is a good example of community engagement and equal participation.

The road that locals have maintained. Picture: The locals who took part in the maintenance initiative.

By Ishmael Palipal

THE Rorovana community in Torau has teamed up with its leaders to maintain their only access road from Arawa to the two villages.

According to their supervisor Raphael Moses, the road maintenance initiative started the previous week and is expected to be completed this week.

The work, organised by the council of elders (COE), was to involve the community and the youths to create a means of income for the unemployed.

This means that the funds allocated for the maintenance work by Central Bougainville MP Jimmy Miringtoro – about K200,000 – will be used to pay the locals who volunteered to do the work.

Mr Moses said at this time of the year, seas are rough and the locals, most of whom depend on the catch and sale of fish to earn an income, must resort to other means. He said the road maintenance initiative is one such avenue.

The council and leaders have decided that the money set aside for the road maintenance can be utilised by using the community to do the maintenance, which involves work such as bush and grass cutting, clearing, digging proper drainage system, patching and levelling portholes and muddy areas along the road.

“We see that most times when we hire contractors, they only work for the money and they do not do the roads properly; that’s why we decided to involve the community so that when they are working, they can at the same time take ownership of what they are doing and do it properly since it is the gate way to other services,” said Mr Moses.

“Also we engaged the unfortunate ones such as youths to earn an income.” Another local, Nathan Birio, said road infrastructure is an important service because through that other services will reach the people.

He said the government should look into this more closely and what the people of Rorovana have done is a good example of community engagement and equal participation. About 180 people volunteered to work on the road, including men, women and youths.

The volunteers were happy to give their service through the road maintenance initiative and urged the government to adopt such community-engagement initiatives throughout Bougainville so that the people can take ownership of government facilities and services in their areas. They said the communities will also stand to benefit from such partnerships

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Dec 7 2014

Bougainville Law and Order News: Police could pull out of Buin town due to no support from the local communities.

Story by Aloysius Laukai :Pictured is Snr Sergeant JOHN POPUI with his Buin Police Parading at the recent Tuiruma Festival

Buin Police could pull out of Buin town if a meeting by Buin Police personnel decide on their future today

This was the message from the Commander of Bougainville Police based in BUIN, Senior Sergeant JOHN POPUI. He told New Dawn FM in Buin that Police have been living in Buin under extreme pressure due to no support from the local communities.

Senior Sergeant JOHN POPUI made these remarks after one of his Police Officers was attacked by a group of men from a nearby village. The Police Officer got his left hand, leg and head sliced by a knife wielding man. The Police Officer, named was off duty and was attacked outside the Police Station and was rushed to the Buin Health Centre after the incident. Senior Sergeant JOHN POPUI said that he personally followed the attackers to stop them but they also threatened him.

He told New Dawn FM that the incident had nothing to do with yesterday’s launching of the Radio Ples Lain in Buin but those involved had gathered to witness the launching in Buin Town. Commander Popui also said that the incident also disturbed the broadcast of Radio Ples Lain in Buin and had to leave Buin in the early hours of this morning for Buka.

He said they were supposed to Broadcast for the second day today Sunday. The Police Commander said that the use of knives in town only happens in Buin town and not the other centres like Arawa and Buka.

He said this was not the first time his Police Officers were attacked by villagers and does not want to tolerate these actions anymore as his officers are also human beings who have families. Senior Sergeant POPUI said the communities in Buin must rise and condemn such actions that is threatening the rule of law and peace in the Buin District.

He said if Police abandon Buin town, the conduct of the coming ABG general election in South Bougainville could also be affected.

Meanwhile, New Dawn FM understands that the Police manpower decreased when the New Zealand sponsored Community Auxiliary Police project was transferred to the Autonomous Bougainville Government and funding discontinued.

Recently the Assistant Police Commissioner, Superintendent, PAUL KAMUAI called on the ABG to honour its commitment and pay the Community Auxiliary Police Officers who are doing policing in the communities. Ends

Dec 7 2014

Bougainville News:Bougainville will move its clocks forward by one hour on 28th December, 2014.

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville will move its clocks forward by one hour on 28th December, 2014.

A new time zone, to be known as Bougainville Standard Time has been adopted by the Bougainville House of Representatives at its September sitting. The new time zone is 11 hours ahead of Co-ordinated Universal Time, which means that Bougainville will be one hour ahead of the rest of Papua New Guinea.

The Honourable Wilfred Komba, Minister for Commerce and Tourism, told the House of Representatives in September that it has been felt that the Bougainville region was disadvantaged by being part of the National Time Zone. “As a result Sunrise and Sunset times in Bougainville are earlier than most people would like”. He said.

The change will happen at 2 am on 28th December, when all clocks in the Bougainville region will move forward to 3 am.

Minister Komba said that this date has been chosen because the period between Christmas Day and New Year is generally a quite one for most people.

From that date onwards, when it is noon in Bougainville, it will be 11:00 am in the rest of Papua New Guinea.

Bougainville will be in the same time zone as Solomon Islands said the Minister.

Visitors coming to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville by Air and Sea are required to forward their watches by 1 hour, to meet the Bougainville Time.

Meanwhile, New Dawn FM will broadcast up until 2AM to make sure it announces the change which is another history in a making for Bougainville.

The Minister will be invited to the studio to make that announcement at 2AM on Sunday 28th December, 2014.

Dec 4 2014

Bougainville “good news” Story: 2014 has been a very progressive year for Central Bougainville

The current government’s free education policy has seen increase in the number enrolments at schools around Central Bougainville. Numbers of schools are also on the increase and this means that more money must continue to put into education every year. Bougainville has missed out on education during the crisis and we have to bridge the gap created when children could not go to school during the troubled period.

What we need is a broader based economy instead of just relying on extractive industries that may run out one day. One of the biggest assets Bougainville has is its people who are creative and innovative. This is why there must be emphasis in putting a lot of money into education.

Picture above : A new classroom building funded by member for Central Bougainville, Jimmy Miringtoro at Raiovi Primary School Wakunai District, Our thanks to Chris Baria for assistance with this article

Good things ahead-On the Sunny Side

This year 2014 has been a very progressive year for Central Bougainville. The region started the year on a positive note with the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Peter O’Neill visiting all three regions of Bougainville including Central. During his visit he made a commitment to the people of Bougainville to fund high impact projects, several of which are in Central Bougainville.

These are the water and sanitation restoration for Arawa Town, the Aropa Airport re-opening and the other major project is of course the sealing of Bougainville Coastal Trunk from Buka to Buin.

This is a clear indication of commitment that the National Government with the support our four Bougainville MPs has a strong desire to see the Autonomous Region of Bougainville prosper in the coming years.

We have come a long way since the peace agreement was signed and there is a lot to be done as yet for Bougainville to achieve what was agreed to in the peace process. In Central Bougainville we have devoted a lot of time and money in improving education by providing more classrooms to accommodate ever increasing number enrolments in schools in the bid to bridge the gap left by the Bougainville crisis.

Education is one of the priority sectors that the government is putting money into along with Health, Infrastructure Development, Law and Order and Business Development. Health centers and aid-posts are also receiving funds from my electoral office. The police in Arawa have benefited from a vehicle allocation from the office of Member for Central as part of his community efforts to enhance the law and order sector. Funding has also been made available to the local Business Association as a form of assistance to grow small businesses in Central Bougainville.

Rural Communications Project and Integrated Government Information System (IGIS)

The government has already rolled out a rural communications project. You many have noticed new towers set up in areas that were not formerly serviced by mobile phone network. By the end of 2015 the government hopes that Bougainville will have more than 50% mobile network coverage that will include data, Internet and telephony. By 2016 Bougainville should have 100% mobile network coverage including remote and rural locations, which are not service by roads.

The main aim of the Rural Communications Project is to provide access to telecommunications and other ICT services including TV, internet, FM Radio and Data storage and transmission to rural and remote locations that lack these services.

The government has also established the “integrated government information system” or IGIS for short. This is the forerunner of e-government for Papua New Guinea. Under this ICT infrastructure all government departments and divisions will be interlinked through a computer network, which also has a data bank. This will prevent duplication and enable data and information sharing with ease.

Information can be stored at central location where those who need it and/or if they require it. The Rural Communication Project roll out will establish communication network that will become integrated into IGIS and link up all local level governments with the main government network and data center. This will mean that leaders will have to be more transparent in their work because the people will be able to monitor their performance online through IGIS.

Supporting sustainable development

Papua New Guinea is heavily reliant on logging, minerals, oil and gas for its revenue generation. These industries while they may bring economic boom to a country do have large problems associated with them and for one thing they are non-renewable, and finite and therefore unsustainable. Central Bougainville has had its taste of mining activity during the 70s and 80s.

Kindles a revolutionary literacy tool in Bougainville schools

In another first for Central Bougainville and in fact Papua New Guinea,James Tanis (former Bougainville President) has established Book-Gain-Ville E reader Revolution in a number of schools in Central Bougainville including Nariana, St. Judes Pok Pok Island, Dareenai Kavearonau and Piruana .

It was launched as an initiative to improve literacy throughout Bougainville.

Each Kindle can hold up to 1,400 books and by the end of 2014 there will over 50 kindles in 11 Bougainville schools. To date there has been no government support but hopefully in 2015 with the support of Government and NGO’s more schools can get these E reader libraries

See Website for more details or make a donation http://www.bookgainville.com/

Government Development Priorities

As part of its continuing commitment the National Government development policy covers five development sectors, which are in, line with its Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP). These are also applicable to Bougainville. These sectors are Health, Education, Infrastructure, Law and Order and Small Business. In line with this plan Bougainville MPs have funded a number of health facilities. In Central this includes Manetai and Wakunai Health Centres and a number of village level aid posts in the rural communities.

In the health sector, the office of MP for in Central has also funded ambulances to all major health centres in Central Bougainville. More money has been spent on building classrooms and other school infrastructure to cater for the increase in the number of enrolments over the years.

With regard to infrastructure, considerable amount of money is being used on feeder road maintenance including, for the first time a new road into remote and densely populated area in Paruparu previously inaccessible by road. A considerable level of funds has also allocated to restoration of Aropa Airport, which is about to be opened soon. PNG Power also received funding to provide power to Arawa town, Kieta port and to the new Kieta Distict entre in Toniva. Up to K1million has been committed to the Central Bougainville Business Association to assist small business in the region.

Looking ahead

Children are our future

Lot of work has been done to provide much needed infrastructure such as roads, schools, and of course the soon be reopened Aropa Airport. Services such as health and education continue to more draw more funds from the government through my electoral office and the treasury.

A lot more needs to be done to improve current services and to build more roads and schools. The government is ready to help out in anyway it can. However, there are certain areas where the community can contribute to the development process. For example, in order for feeder roads to last longer, drains need to kept clear of debris and grass has to be cut along the roadside. A little preventive maintenance can make a lot of difference.

Same goes for schools. Parents and community must devote sometime to do maintenance work, cleaning and grass-cutting in the school areas. The community must help to look after what the government has provided for them. The government cannot be expected to do everything. In order for us to move ahead it requires joint effort by all.

Dec 4 2014

Bougainville Mining News: Momis continues “ethic” attack on Australian research

“Jubilee Australia claims to be a body undertaking ‘scientific research’. Any scientific research body must adhere to strict ethical standards when planning, carrying out, and reporting on its research.

“Jubilee and its partners were researching sensitive issues in Bougainville’s complex post-conflict situation. The research, and Jubilee’s report, involve serious risks, not just for those being interviewed, but for the wider Bougainville community. By taking sides on complex, divisive issues, Jubilee has added to sources of division and conflict

President Momis raising new issues about Jubilee : Pictured above with PNG PM Peter O’Neil on a visit to Panguna earlier this year

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MOMIS QUERIES JUBILEE AUSTRALIA’S RESEARCH ETHICS

The President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has raised new questions about research about Bougainville undertaken by Australian NGO, Jubilee Australia. Jubilee’s report was released in Australia in September.

On the basis of interviews with just 65 people selected because they opposed resuming mining at Panguna, Jubilee claimed that the Panguna mine affected communities as a whole were also opposed to mining. But as President Momis has pointed out, there are between 10,000 and 15,000 people in those communities, a majority supporting resumption of mining.

BOUGAINVILLE MINING LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS DEVELOPMENT

Presentation to the people of Bougainville

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BOUGAINVILLE Policy Act and Regulations Presentation to landowners

In a series of three letters to Jubilee in September, October and November, President Momis has criticised the report. He questioned research methodology used, false claims made on the basis of interviews with a tiny selected group of opponents of mining, many serious factual errors in the report, and the track record of opposition to BCL and Rio Tinto on the part of Jubilee Australia’s research partners, Kristian Lasslett and the Bismarck Ramu Group.

The President was especially critical of Jubilee’s failure to at any time communicate with the ABG or Panguna landowner associations about the research – failing even to seek ABG views on a draft of the report before it was published. He agreed with an Australian academic who criticised Jubilee as involved in advocacy, not research.

Today President Momis raised new issues about Jubilee and its research. He said:

It has undermined the carefully considered efforts of the democratically established ABG to build consensus amongst divided Bougainvilleans on the difficult issues involved in choices on mining.

“If Jubilee had been adhering to proper ethical research standards, they would not have intervened in this complex situation, and taken sides. They would not have rejected having any form of communication with the ABG and landowner associations.

“Jubilee Australia’s website claims that their research program is overseen by a Research Centre Advisory Committee comprising ‘leading Australian academics’, which they say strengthens Jubilee’s ‘capacity for rigorous, academic based research’. Such a Committee should surely play the most important role of setting and overseeing Jubilee’s research ethics.

“But it now emerges that a member of that six member Advisory Committee who had extensive knowledge of PNG was never informed by Jubilee about the research. This fact may help explain Jubilee’s use of badly flawed research methodology. It raises serious questions about how Jubilee ensures that its research adheres to the highest standards of research ethics expected of a ‘scientific research’ body.

“I have today written to Jubilee’s Board, asking when they will respond to the issues raised in my two most recent letters to them about their report (dated 26 October and 2 November). But in addition I have raised serious questions about how Jubilee ensures that proper standards of research ethics are met, so that its otherwise well-intentioned work does not descend into advocacy of particular unsubstantiated viewpoints.

“I have further asked how Jubilee can be held accountable in terms of their ethical standards. Jubilee is an Australian NGO working on international development issues. Most such NGOs are members of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), which administers a complaints process that can handle queries about NGO research ethics.

“But from the list of members appearing on the ACFID website, it appears that Jubilee is not a member of ACFID. If so, the ABG cannot seek to hold Jubilee accountable through ACFID. I am questioning Jubilee’s board as to whether it is open to being held accountable by independent bodies.

“I have further asked Jubilee to advise whether any non-citizens who have been in PNG at any time to undertake this research have held the research visas required under PNG law.

President Momis concluded:

“The ABG welcomes thorough research, and well-informed criticism. But it expects outside research bodies, in particular, to observe the highest standards and principles. In this case, there are grave doubts about many aspects of what Jubilee has done.

“Further, Jubilee has shown little willingness to be in communication with the democratic government of Bougainville. Their one communication with us in the more than two years they have been doing their Bougainville ‘research’ was a letter in late October stating that my criticisms of their report were ‘without basis’. I now call on Jubilee’s Board to engage with the ABG in relation to the serious questions that we are asking, both in today’s letter, and my letters of October and November.”

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Dec 1 2014

Bougainville News: Bougainvillean businesses feel the sting of an Asian takeover

” Soon we will see more Bougainvillean businesses leaving the scene because they cannot stand the might of all these Asian operations.”

LUKE Maneu of Siwai in south Bougainville

Our thanks to LEONARD FONG ROKA for this report

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LUKE Maneu of successfully operated a retail outlet in Buka Town from 2009 until 2011, when the Asian influx and affected his operations leading him to venture into other businesses including operating a PMV service and a guesthouse.

“Bougainville is such a small place that needs us, the indigenous people, to be in charge of development in terms of business and other economic activities,” Luke told me.

“The ABG and our MPs in the national government should be the ones pushing the laws and systems to create an environment conducive for the localisation of all cottage industries.

“With the Asian entry into Buka Town,” he added, “my business was harmed along with other businesses owned by fellow Bougainvilleans. Customers left us for the cheaper Asian goods.

“Our shops are said to be expensive because we do not have an entrepreneurial or business culture.

“Thus we are learners who need time and government input to make things right for our services to the Bougainvillean public,” Luke said.

“‘I am moving into other areas to save myself from succumbing to the Asian takeover. I am safe for the time being.”

To Bougainvillean businesses time is not with us. Soon we will see more Bougainvillean businesses leaving the scene because they cannot stand the might of all these Asian operations.’

After talking with Luke, I visited a few other Bougainvillean business houses – Wedelyne, JN Trading, TM Trading, Haput Clothing, Maia Clothing and Evokong. They all shared the same fear.

Asian operations are competing aggressively and taking over business activities they have been involved in.

“We heard that the ABG was inviting Asians to work in multi-million kina impact projects like the Torokina oil palm,” Chris Haput of Haput Clothing told me.

“But we were amazed to see them setting up tiny retail booths everywhere.

“From one or two booths they spread all over Buka Town, grabbing and renting large buildings from Buka people.”

Haput Clothing operates next to one of the many Asian BCM Trading retail outlets legally owned by a Siwai lady, Mary Lyn, who is a second wife of a Chinese named Lyn.

“Mary Lyn is our neighbour and best friend,” said Nathan Haliken of JN Trading. “She knows Asians wants to make money in Bougainville and, despite being the legal director, she has not much power over the BCM trading retail outlets spreading around Buka Town.”

Evokong and Maia Clothing, both originally from Kieta, have a business presence in Buka and Arawa and admitted their operations in Buka Town had shrunk in terms of daily takings in the face of cheaper goods offered by the Asian business operations.

Wedelyne, a local Buka business, were emulating Luke Maneu’s survival strategy and had ventured into PMV and taxi services and a retail outlet.

Many Bougainvillean businesses, whether owned by Buka islanders or Bougainville mainlanders, feel operating in Buka is not worth it and are starting to move to the mainland.

Here, Asians were invited but, if seen to be going off-track, they were kicked out.

At Toniva near Kieta, Asian businesses have already faced a first wave of attacks by locals and reports suggest there may be worse to follow.

Last weekend Asians in Buka Town, warned that certain businesses were targeted for attack by disgruntling locals, organised for police surveillance at BCM Trading.

The story around town is that the Buka Police has been penetrated by Asian tycoons.

Anti-Asian feeling is growing amongst Bougainvillean business houses and ordinary people in Buka. Time will tell us the next move.

Dec 1 2014

Bougainville Investment Opportunities : Investment development must provide for local aspirations and interests

“Cocoa grown in Bougainville is know to be of very high quality and there is local knowledge gained from years of growing but little capital to invest for processing the raw materials which are generally shipped overseas.”

Investment Opportunities

The Bougainville Responsible Investment Framework is a new approach to economic development that provides for the values and aspirations of the people of Bougainville whilst protecting the interests of future investors. The framework addresses the concerns of the past, strengthens existing processes, and was developed by Bougainvilleans for Bougainville. Through the consultation period it was clear that:

Bougainvilleans want investment but they want to be actively involved;
They want good partners to work with and learn from;
They want those partners interests provided for and looked after; and
They want investment development to provide for local aspirations and interests.

Below are some examples of investment areas. This is not an exhaustive list but rather a demonstration of existing sectors in Bougainville that would benefit from investment and development.

About the Bureau and Contact Click here for website

The Bougainville Inward Investment Bureau (BIIB) is a statutory body established by the Bougainville Inward Investment Act to screen, processes, assess, and make decisions or recommendations on investment proposals coming into Bougainville based on the principles of Responsible Investment.

Functions of the Bureau include:

Providing advice on the ABG’s policy and procedures;
Dealing with enquiries by investors;
Processing applications by inward investors;
Assessing investment applications;
Making recommendations to the Board about the applications;
Supporting the Board when it makes recommendations to the BEC;
Providing advice via the Board to the Minister of Commerce and the BEC about the ABG’s investment policies and processes;
Maintaining close working linkages with other ABG Divisions;
Maintaining a close working linkage with the Investment Promotion Authority;
Monitoring and evaluating investors operating in Bougainville;
Promoting Bougainville as an investment destination; and
Community awareness.

Tourism

Bougainville is known for adventurous, off the beaten track travel. It is also extraordinarily beautiful, as shown in the movie Mr Pip which was recently filmed there. Bougainville has rich biodiversity and traditional cultures dating back more than 30,000 years. The region also has a fascinating recent history involving World War II and the Bougainville Crisis. Bougainville is a unique travel destination, please look at the new Bougainville Tourism website for more information.

Cruise ships are now visiting Bougainville

Travellers worldwide are looking away from package holidays and choosing instead to explore previously untouched regions. Bougainville is safe and the tourist industry is expected to grow. There are local providers of tourism activities such as trekking, nature walks and village visits, although tourist infrastructure is minimal. Both would benefit from investment along with new investment opportunities such as big game fishing, diving ventures and history tours.

Local Tourism Operator

Fisheries

Bougainville has a clean and bounteous aquatic environment. Fishing within three nautical miles of shore is reserved for local villages, although there could be development opportunities through local partnerships. Tuna are plentiful although fishing rights are regulated by the National Fishing Authority, PNG. Bougainville does not have commercial fishing fleets nor any onshore processing of fish caught in Bougainville waters. Opportunities exist in improving port and wharf infrastructure, fishing ventures, and onshore processing.

Bougainville has invested in commercially growing seaweed. The seaweed being grown in is Eucheuma cottonii, common name for Kappaphycus alvarezii, a carrageenan producing seaweed. Carragennan is an ingredient in many foods and gel-like products, and even has applications in biochemistry. It is used mostly as a thickener, stabilizer, and emulsifier, as well as a fresh, whole food source.

Mining

Mining was once the backbone of the economy. The Panguna mine in Central Bougainville used to be the largest open pit copper mine in the Southern Hemisphere. A moratorium has been in place for mining since the Bougainville Crisis but there are positive moves in this sector with negotiations taking place to re-open the mine and the ABG is developing its own Mining Act. There are other mining opportunities within Bougainville; limestone was previously mined and exported pre-Crisis and the market still exists and artisanal alluvial gold mining is a significant local industry.

Agriculture

This sector of the economy is dominated by two export markets – cocoa beans and copra (the dried kernel of a coconut from which coconut oil is made) – although most crops will grow in Bougainville. Coconuts and cocoa are grown extensively in small scale, locally owned plantations. Large plantations were very productive pre-crisis but these are mostly abandoned and run-down now. Opportunity exists to revive the large Plantations. Cocoa grown in Bougainville is know to be of very high quality and there is local knowledge gained from years of growing but little capital to invest for processing the raw materials which are generally shipped overseas. There are many potential opportunities to add value to coconut and develop products such as virgin coconut oil, coconut sugar and biofuel.

Livestock Development

There are numerous opportunities to start or grow existing food production in Bougainville. The Division of Primary Industries has identified cattle, pig, poultry, ducks, on-land fish farming, goats and rabbits as having potential for protein production. The main sources of protein in Bougainville, however, are fish and chicken. Most of Bougainville’s chicken, eggs and baby chicks for future production are imported. There are opportunities here to meet local demand with locally produced chicken and eggs.

Manufacturing

Currently, there is no medium to large scale manufacturing taking place in Bougainville. There is small scale manufacturing of handicraft and furniture, as well as coconut oil. Larger scale production of coconut oil is on the horizon with a production plant near completion, and there is a near complete biodiesel plant in Arawa. As of January 2014 the first of 10 new warehouses is opening in Toniva, near Kieta. Toniva Industrial, Chinese owned, is building the warehouses to then lease out for manufacturing and industrial use. Opportunities will increase in this sector as infrastructure and power generation continue to improve. There are two hydro power generation facilities being built on Bougainville Island.

Transport, Infrastructure and Technology

Bougainville is still rebuilding from the Crisis, there are significant opportunities to assist with infrastructure development and introduction of technology to make life easier here. Of particular relevance are affordable permanent homes, roading, air and sea ports, and power generation.

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Monthly Archives: December 2014