Monthly Archives: February 2015

Feb 2 2015

Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA) has become the focus of leaders in the government ,veterans and ex combatants.

 

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As this year becomes a very critical year for Bougainville with elections around the corner in April and the expected referendum to be conducted this year, the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA) has become the focus of leaders in the government and veterans or ex combatants.

The BPA, which was signed in 2001, has three specific areas highlighted on Autonomy; Referendum and Weapons Disposal. It also emphasizes on ‘Good Governance.’

Second part of the forum- Held on Friday 30th January 2015
words and picture by Tanya Lahies

The President of ABG Chief Dr John Momis defended that his government is a good government, better than the previous government and that a lot was achieved under his leadership.

Photo caption: Ex combatant leader Ishmael Toroama addresses the crowd at the forum on Friday, at Bel Isi park

He responded to the group of ex combatants led by leaders Ishmael Toroama with Thomas Tari and Sam Kauona, who confronted the ABG with questions on whether ABG was inline with good governance.

This occurred in the first ever forum conducted between the President Chief Dr John Momis and the ex combatants leaders at a ground level.

In the past, many issues were dealt with through the media to channel their views. The forum was an opportunity for leaders to speak openly and frankly on issues dated back to last year.

The two main criteria which leaders have emphasized mainly in the forum were on weapons disposal and good governance.

The ex combatants agree that the Autonomous Bougainville Government still needed to be transparent, which got the response of the President Momis, that his government is not corrupt and that all activities with development partners were based on transparency and for the interest of the people.

The ABG led by President Chief Dr John Momis, agreed that there was a lot to be done with weapons disposal and questioned whether the veterans will do anything about the issue as at the moment people are still using weapons to threaten democracy.

Tomorrow we look at ex combatant Sam Kauona’s statement and Vice President Patrick Nisira’s response.

 

Feb 1 2015

Bougainville News : Will the next 15 years see a major breakthrough for most people in poor countries

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They will have unprecedented opportunities to get an education, eat nutritious food, and benefit from mobile banking. These breakthroughs will be driven by innovation in technology — ranging from new vaccines and hardier crops to much cheaper smartphones and tablets — and by innovations that help deliver those things to more people.

Millions of people will have access to online education

The lives of people in poor countries will improve faster in the next 15 years than at any other time in history. And their lives will improve more than anyone else’s

Bill and Melinda Gates 2015 Letter

We see an opportunity and we want to make the most of it.

We’re putting our credibility, time, and money behind this bet — and asking others to join us — because we think there has never been a better time to accelerate progress and have a big impact around the world.

Some will say we’re irrational to make this bet too. A skeptic would look at the world’s problems and conclude that things are only getting worse. And we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that a handful of the worst-off countries will continue to struggle.

Picture Above :When we travel, we meet with people to learn what they need to live a healthy, productive life. Mapinga, Tanzania, 2011

 Watch video here

But we think the next 15 years will see major breakthroughs for most people in poor countries. They will be living longer and in better health. They will have unprecedented opportunities to get an education, eat nutritious food, and benefit from mobile banking. These breakthroughs will be driven by innovation in technology — ranging from new vaccines and hardier crops to much cheaper smartphones and tablets — and by innovations that help deliver those things to more people.The rich world will keep getting exciting new advances too, but the improvements in the lives of the poor will be far more fundamental — the basics of a healthy, productive life. It’s great that more people in rich countries will be able to watch movies on super hi-resolution screens. It’s even better that more parents in poor countries will know their children aren’t going to die.It is fair to ask whether the progress we’re predicting will be stifled by climate change. The most dramatic problems caused by climate change are more than 15 years away, but the long-term threat is so serious that the world needs to move much more aggressively — right now — to develop energy sources that are cheaper, can deliver on demand, and emit zero carbon dioxide. The next 15 years are a pivotal time when these energy sources need to be developed so they’ll be ready to deploy before the effects of climate change become severe. Bill is investing time in this work personally (not through our foundation) and will continue to speak out about it.

We’re excited to see how much better the world will be in 15 years.

Here are some of the breakthroughs in Education we see coming.

 

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Arizona who are getting their college degrees through online schools.

One of them, Shawn Lee, is a former construction worker who went back to college so he could build a better life for his young son. Shawn told Bill how he had struggled in a traditional school — and how learning online made it much easier to balance school and work.

Yet if we went to a poor country and asked a street vendor about taking online classes, she would just laugh. The idea would seem ridiculous.

It shouldn’t. And one day, it won’t.

Our foundation gives more money to education than to any other cause in the United States because it’s the best lever we’ve seen for giving every child in America a chance to make the most of their lives. Some of the work we fund is focused solely on U.S. students and teachers. But a core piece of it — online courses — will be a global asset, available to anyone with a smartphone or tablet.

As high-speed cell networks grow and smartphones become as cheap as today’s voice-only phones, online education will flourish. For people in rich countries, it will be an important step forward. For the rest of the world, especially in places where growth is creating demand for educated workers, it will be a revolution.

Think back 15 years, to when online education was first gaining traction. It amounted to little more than pointing a camera at a university lecturer and hitting the “record” button. Students couldn’t take online quizzes or connect with each other. It wasn’t interactive at all.

Bougainville education could do with your help Mr Gates

Bookgainville Project on Bougainville PNG

Feb 1 2015

Bougainville Political News : Ex Combatants confront Momis and Amani over many issues

 

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President Momis also defended that the current government has practiced good governance under his leadership and has done more than the previous government. One of the achievements of the government was the change of public service act.

President Chief Dr John Momis questioned the ex combatants, how many weapons have already been disposed and why people were still using weapons?

A summary of the Forum-a discussion between the ABG President Chief Dr John Momis and the ex combatant

By Bureau of Media and Communications- Public relations

Photo Caption: New Chief Secretary Monovi Amani greets a leader of ex combatant Ishmael Toroama after the forum. The forum ended with a shaking of hands between the ABG Ministers, senior public servants and the leaders of the ex combatants as seen in this picture by Tanya Lahies.

First part of the forum

ABG President Chief Dr John Momis responds to questions from the Ex Combatants (see details below )

On Friday, 30th of January 2015, a group of ex combatants from the South and Central Region, confronted the Autonomous Bougainville Government President Chief Dr John Momis with questions on issues, that received a lot of attention on the Social Media last year and early this year.

The confrontation was an attempt to get answers, by the ex combatants to the ABG Government. Prior to the forum, a petition was presented to the President asking him to resign based on the grievances’ raised and that he should do so if the accusations or questions were not properly answered.

The forum was to get clarifications about information of the latest development brought in by the current government.

Leaders of the ex combatants Ishmael Toroama with Thomas Tari and Sam Kauona presented their grievances based on what they saw as outstanding issues which was not properly aired out.

The issues raised were on;

• Bougainville POGE Development Corporation
• Torokina Oil Palm PROJECT a failed project
• MV Chebu shares arrangement
• Referendum deferred
• Good governance

Ishmael firstly explained that it was unfortunate that such an outcome had lead to a public forum but the reason for their public appearance was to get answers from the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

He emphasized on the Bougainville Peace Agreement, how they have completed their part and how the government needs to complete theirs. He emphasized on good governance and questioned how well the government has shown leadership at the administrative and political level.

Ishmael also acknowledged the United Nations Development Program for the part they played in ensuring the weapons disposal process was completed.

Based on the Peace Agreement under good governance, Ishmael questioned:

• Why four members of the government owned shares in the Poge Investment?

• Bridges need to be built in the North West?? Who is responsible? Where is the money going?

Thomas Tari also a leader of the ex combatants presented his views about patriotism towards holding a referendum. He spoke on how the government has failed and that there were still outstanding issues and asked for the government to explain clearly so that they are at ease.

President Chief Dr John Momis responds:

In response to the accusations, President Momis said that:

• The MV Chebu was a joint share between ABG and Henry Chou the owner of HAKAU Investment. This means the ABG held a trustee share of which the share belongs to the people of Bougainville. He reassured that it wasn’t a personal share. BUT that the ABG looked after the money that legally belongs to the people of Bougainville.

• Bougainville POGE Development Corporation comes under the Bougainville Government and that four members hold a trustee share in the corporation and that- it didn’t mean any of the members have personal control or ownership of the share but the shares belong to the people of Bougainville.

• The Torokina Oil Palm project was implemented by the Kabui Government. Since the implementation of the project, there has been a lot of misuse of funds. During the current government, the project was advertised and three companies applied and Hakau Investment won the bid to develop the project to providing technical services and successfully completed the work. The project is not a failed project. It is an ongoing project.

• Referendum- the talk to defer referendum is not true. Referendum will happen when two Governments (ABG and PNG) sit down and look at all the criteria of the Bougainville Peace Agreement. Referendum will look at good governance and weapons disposal. President Momis urged that the people and Government have no power to defer referendum. By, 2020, the referendum should be held.

The president also clarified that the statement he made that a referendum will be held in 2019 was not a final decision but a thought based on how he sees the current preparation of the people and what the outcome may occur, looking at the political level nationally and internationally but he urged that it isn’t deferred.

He explained that if the people were ready to hold a referendum, it could be held this year, but then, the people must be ready to except the outcome.

He advised that the result of the referendum would be measured by the United Nations and the National Government using the Bougainville Peace Agreement as criteria.

President Momis also defended that the current government has practiced good governance under his leadership and has done more than the previous government. One of the achievements of the government was the change of public service act, he added.

President Chief Dr John Momis questioned the ex combatants, how many weapons have already been disposed and why people were still using weapons?

Momis questioned whether the petition for him to resign had criteria that could be used to judge him and be leveled against the developmental goals and achievements of his government.

President Momis reiterated that it was the people who gave him the mandate to become the president.

 

Note: The second part of the forum will be posted tomorrow evening.

 

Bougainville’s President Momis must explain widespread financial mismanagement

PNG Exposed

Bougainville’s President Momis has launched a scathing attack on villagers across Bougainville looking for economic alternatives to large-scale mining. Speaking on New Dawn he demanded they produce a coherent economic plan for turning ‘tomato sales’ into sustainable revenues.

The issue of economic accountability is an important one, here are five reasons President Momis should not be exempt.

1. The Torokina Oil Palm Project and Sir Henry Chow

President Momis must explain why during 2010/11 the Torokina oil palm project received ten million Kina in government grants, and what, if any benefits, the people of Bougainville have received for investing nearly the entire ABG agricultural development budget on one project? He must also explain any benefits which Sir Henry Chow received from these grants, through Hakau Investment Limited or any other company owned by Chow.

Given that the Torokina oil palm plantation was expected to bear fruit by 2014, can the President explain what has happened since 2011?

In March 2013 Islands Business reported that the ABG Public Accounts Committee would ‘inquire into the two joint ventures done by the ABG with the Hakau Investment on the Torokina Oil Palm Project, and the China Business Corporation’. Can the President report back on the findings of these investigations?

Torokina Oil Palm Project

2. Employing Hedge Fund Traders as ‘Development’ Advisors

In 2012 President Momis employed public revenues to contract a hedge fund, Seagate Global, led by US expatriate, William Lawton, to become his ‘economic and development Advisor’. Seagate claims it was hired ‘to design and implement comprehensive community and economic development in Bougainville’. How much has the President spent on this contract? What tangible outcomes has this had for the people of Bougainville who have little interest in hedge funds? Why did the President choose a financial speculator to advise him on rural development?

In 2013 Seagate Global stated on their website ‘Seagate Global is the economic and Development Advisor to the President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, the location of the Panguna mine, one of the largest copper and gold mines in the world, and a country rich in numerous resources’. The page also states, ‘Seagate Global entered the mining business as one of the best ways to help people’. The first statement was subsequently removed from the company’s website! The President must explain whether Seagate Global has obtained any tangible interests in Bougainville’s natural resources through its relationship with the ABG?

3. Joint-Venture with Filipino Business Accused of Human Rights Abuses

Following visits to the Philippines President John Momis has engaged the ABG in a joint-venture with Filipino executives allegedly involved in land-grabbing, violence against landowners, illegal labour practices, and environment breaches (the full scandal was exposed here).  How much money has the ABG spent on Bougainville POGE Development and its ventures with Filipino businessmen the subject of serious human rights allegations? How much has the ABG spent flying the President and his wife around the Philippines? During his extensive foreign travels has the President received any gifts from foreign companies?

4. The Panguna Mine Fiasco

Then there is the Panguna mine scandal. Before President Momis began expending significant sums of government revenues on mining – including on the Office of Panguna Mine Negotiations, an expanded Mining Division and extensive foreign advice – did he conduct an economic and social feasibility study to ensure this was money well spent?

After all, we know that the expert advice given to the ABG and the Australian government in 2008 was that reopening Panguna would be heavily resisted by landowning communities, and a potential spark for heightened tension. As a result they were advised ‘in the interim, a strategy for economic recovery through agricultural production appears the most viable among the possibilities’.

Did President Momis conduct any study that overturned these findings, and offered a strong evidence base suggesting that the significant government investment in reopening Panguna had a strong chance of bearing fruits?

And if he is to be transparent, President Momis should reveal how much has been spent on this ill-fated exercise to reopen Panguna, including money that has come from donor organisations such as the Australian government and World Bank.

5. The Public Housing Crisis

The President was also warned by auditors that public housing in Bougainville was being abused by some public servants who were not paying rent, while retired and retrenched staff were monopolising public properties. Given many public servants are forced to find housing on the inflated private market, has he done anything to rectify the abuse of public housing?