Jan 6 2015

Bougainville News: President Momis “To meet fiscal self-reliance we must open the Panguna mine

Firstly we would like to wish all our Bougainville News readers a Happy New Year for 2015

It is going to be very big year for Bougainville deciding our future direction

BY Aloysius Laukai – Managing Editor

The ABG President, Chief DR. JOHN MOMIS says that Bougainville needs to meet fiscal self-reliance with good governance and weapons disposal as condition before the referendum is held.

Speaking on NEW DAWN FM, President Momis said that he sees no other option to meet this fiscal self-reliance but to open the Panguna copper Mine under the new Bougainville mining law.

He said that weapons disposal and good governance can be met in time but he was more concerned at the fiscal self-reliance was currently out of reach and most critics who do not want the mine to re-open are not providing the alternatives for raising these funds.

PRESIDENT MOMIS said that Agricultural commodities can be fast-tracked once funds are raised from the mine.

He said funds can be raised immediately once the approval is given and starting at reconstruction stage.

PRESIDENT MOMIS said since the end of the Bougainville conflict WORLD BANK and AUSAID pumped in a lot of funds on Cocoa rehabilitation but the cocoa pod borer killed these initiatives and will take time for these products to come on line.

And with the drop in prices the help needed by Bougainville is not coming at all said President MOMIS.

Responding to comments made by DR.RUTH SPRIGGS, he said that under the new mining law Bougainville land owners are fully protected and on top of that they have the veto power to halt any operation if they are not happy with the company or the government.

He said if critics think their option like planting and selling tomatoes and other garden foods can make Bougainville reach economic self-reliance within the short time remaining to referendum, then they should tell the government of these options instead of just criticizing the government.

listed below are some of the initial responses to this interview

Please leave your comments below

Jade Kilo What is the department of primary industries doing in terms of the agriculture, fisheries and etc, sectors? I think Very creative people are needed at the top to run these direct economy building machineries. No wonder we are now turning to mining as the only option to alleviate and boost Bougainville economy.
Aloysius Laukai Ol plantation long ples i bush pinis, I don’t know why our people have stopped working on plantations and now looking at the ABG and National members for handouts.
Walter Pakei There is a pot of Gold sitting in the middle of the Bougainville Island.
Remove

Mangi Kieta Patere John Momis, Mining should be the last option.Look at the tomatoes first!

January 5 at 9:51pm · Like · 6
Godfrey Bitari If Bougainvilleans are critically serious about being fiscally self reliant and politically independent, then we have no other option but to suppport the president. If not then the whole dream becomes a joke. Be serious or forget independence.

January 5 at 10:04pm · Like · 8
Jade Kilo I need answers to rest my mind and accept mining here. Which is the most destructive and expensive in terms of environment, financial and humanity/social. Mining or agriculture, tourism etc..other wise as long as we understand that greater the benefit, the greater the opportunity cost(sacrifice we make).

January 5 at 10:14pm · Like · 2
Godfrey Bitari How much time do we have left before the clock catches up with us before the “the referendum vote?” We need to critically act here and now.

January 5 at 10:21pm · Like · 5
Steven Kolova The rationale behind reopening of Panguna mine is good but based on experiences its almost not workable given that since 8 June 2006 when the decision to drawdown mining powers to facilitate reopening of Panguna mine was reached in Alotau not much has been acheived. Ating em inap evidence lon tok nau yet mining m hard lik x2 ating bihain bae ok

January 5 at 10:42pm · Like · 7
Petersen Ketsore I really feel sorry for our leaders, they are handicap with the situation they are presented with, they can’t do much…

January 5 at 11:09pm · Like · 5
Walter Pakei If ABG can negotiate maximum benefit for Bougainville from the mine, then it is a good idea to open the mine. At the moment, ABG will be getting peanuts from the mine if it opens.

January 5 at 11:13pm · Like · 4
Mycall Essam Miise I believe 8/9 landowner associations are already registered in preparation for the reopening? The hold up is from the SML landowners.I think the issue faced by the government is that they don’t have money to fund agriculture, fisheries etc. Nogat mani long kirapim ol displa sectors.So ba yumi independent or yumi ba hangamap stap long PNG na dai blo ol man meri ba go nating.

January 5 at 11:22pm · Like · 5
Petersen Ketsore No leader come this year’s election would promise Bougainville Independent without the re-opening of the mining. We have to make use of the very intellectual people that we have now…\

January 5 at 11:46pm · Like · 5
Fox Sobee Patere yu tok turu. If no help to open the mine is given to the momis goverment then byebye independance.

January 5 at 11:57pm · Like · 3
Petersen Ketsore hem now ya, we’ll have to just say bye to the idea of independence, then the blood that our brothers and sisters spilled for Bougainville will be in vain. that’s the fact…

Yesterday at 12:02am · Like · 3
John Kopana It is sad to see our leaders throwing in the towel without demonstrating any effort to prop up other industries. We will only open Panguna if it’s socio – environmental costs are acceptable to all Bougainvilleans. ABG must map these out and insure that we accept such.Let us not demonstrate panic, but systematically work through the issues in the time we have.The former means that we have not done our work!! Let’s not hit panic station and spread anxiety through our folks. Time to demonstrate tact, unless the intent of this press release is just that – make us panic!

Yesterday at 12:23am · Edited · Like · 6
Fox Sobee From the news article momis is much more conscious about the time frame?

Yesterday at 12:10am · Like
Ian Wilkinson Ben, how are people extracting the gold? Panning?Perhaps small scale low environmental impact mining operations could provide some govt income, without opening the main mine.

Yesterday at 12:41am · Edited · Like · 4
Aloysius Laukai Referendum is to be held between 2015 and 2020. if they decide to have it next week are we ready? we had ten years to prepare and who are we going to blame this time? mi wari ia

Yesterday at 12:29am · Like · 4
Steven Kolova I think Bougainville can achieve fiscal self reliance without the mine eg for Fisheries Bougainville waters accounts for about 30 percent of PNG’s fisheries revenues which worth about US $ 30 million per year. To aquire that ABG needs to implement the provisions in BPA on developing benefit sharing formula. with PNG, and alluvial mining currently accounts for about PNGK 18 million n cocoa accounts for 3 % of Bougainville’s GDP In anycase ABG needs about PNGK 102 million per year to sustain its operations .. ating yumi ken survive yet

Yesterday at 12:45am · Like · 6
Aloysius Laukai When can we start, the clock is ticking..and the illegal fishermen out there are wiping out the fish from our seas because we have no capacity to police our waters. If we want to try something it’s now or never.

Yesterday at 12:55am · Edited · Like · 3
Aloysius Laukai We are working on 6 awareness films to be screened at a mobile cinema in the District centers in March this year funded by the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS) The six films are in Tok Pisin and will cover War widows, Missing persons, Government Corruption and the three pillars of the Bougainville Peace Agreement.Research has been completed with information that is not good at all.Our people don’t know what is happening. we are working on the scripts based on these findings.We can do another one to find our we can assist our government on these issues but there are people on the payroll who suppose to do all these things. TOKSAVE TASOL.

Yesterday at 1:09am · Edited · Like · 8
Maiko Maka I failed to understand how any Bougainvillean could sustain oyr macro economy without prudent and solid economic base. Agriculture and tourism that many would be presidents are intending to pursue as their priority are strategised and sustained by stable macro microeconomics. Bougainville’s great depression caused by the crisis and its resulting high unemployment rate and increased poverty greatly influenced the development of our macro microeconomics. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT IMPROVING A CASH-STRAPPED VILLAGE CANTEEN. ITS ABOUT ECONOMICALLY EMPOWERING A COUNTRY.
THE MINE IS THE ONLY OPTION AT THIS POINT IN TIME FOR BOUGAINVILLE TO COMPETE IN HER STRUGGLE TO BECOMING A COUNTRY/NATION.

22 hrs · Like · 9
Thomas Ikurau Corruption is high and strife in AROB. We must try to minimise at all levels.

21 hrs · Like · 3
Jade Kilo Ye tomatoes em easy lo growim lo Bougainville. preserve those tomatoes and whatever not in various ways and first start selling locally in Bougainville and PNG; then extend to others as market indicates.

21 hrs · Like
Warwick Brooker Attempting to base a new nation’s economic viability on the unstable supply (e.g. pests, diseases and climatic factors) and world prices of agricultural and marine products would be a recipe for disaster. The economic base should be as wide as possible, utilising all of Bougainville’s resources, including its vast mineral deposits.Of course, whichever resources are exploited, they must be exploited in a manner that mitigates destruction of the island’s natural habitat. Any industry is likely to cause some environmental damage and this has to be weighed against the industry’s advantages to the long-term welfare of the island’s community.I’d be surprised if the ABG has not been weighing these factors up for years. As President Momis has said, those opposed to mining have failed to come up with viable alternatives that will pave the road to independence.

20 hrs · Like · 5
Maiko Maka WHETHER ANY HUMAN BEING LIKES IT OR NOT DESTRUCTION IS A FOUNDATION OF DEVELOPMENT. Not undermining anyone, Sometimes it makes me wonder how those vying for president’s post going to run ABG when their actions and comments are clearly seen as no match for the post.

20 hrs · Like · 1
Steven Kolova I think ABG should talk about workable economic strategies in the current situation instead of been blogged down by rationalization of theories and speculations that are not effectively applicable.

20 hrs · Like · 1
Peter Tareasi Broad based Economy is what ABG needs. Mining is just part of an economic mix that we need. We certainly need investment, domestic and foreign, to kick start the economy. Too much a decision for ABG to decide which way to go..Takes time but procrastination in the decision making process is probably hurting us.

20 hrs · Like · 3
Jade Kilo I’m not totally against mining. But I am a victim of the Bougainville crisis (like all of you) which erupted and escalated mainly because of mining and still have fears. I hope this time it’s better and that the new mining act gathers well for all Bougainville. Hope nothing similar to what I hear about the PNg LNG project happens with mining on Bougainville as well. Here’s a saying to ponder on; ‘Fools don’t learn better from experiences or mistakes’.

19 hrs · Like · 2
Godfrey Bitari Take and make this opportunity work or our ignorance will backfire on us.

18 hrs · Like
Warwick Brooker Or as the saying goes, “Strike while the iron is hot”!!

18 hrs · Edited · Like
Warwick Brooker Or should that be while the copper and gold are hot? 🙂

18 hrs · Like
John Kopana You have to be ready to strike, otherwise it will burn you! Judging by the negative sentiments, our folks are very, very scared of being burnt the second time around. Has ABG done enough to sell the idea to our anxious people? Or are they imposing ideas without the sell job done?

14 hrs · Edited · Like · 1
Mycall Essam Miise David late Kabui’s no nephew just returned from his leave and told me the Bougainville mining department are conducting awareness on mining. He attended one at their home. So the government is doing its part but it is up to the people to accept mining back or not or later in future?

17 hrs · Like · 4
John Becks Broad based socio-economic investment is what ARoB should have set its referendum and nationhood development priorities from the start. Both this government and previous Kabui government did not had a prudent broad base economic and social priorities to set the foundation for independence; and most Bougainvillians are aware of the reasons why (those who are not maybe are part of the reason why ARoB is not ready yet for independence). As I indicated in my previous posts, ARoB has already run out of time to carry out its economic, social {and maybe political) activities to set the foundation ready for independence. Five (5) years is not enough to organize a proper economic activity like reopening BCL mine, establish large scale agriculture projects or develop large scale tourism industry that would fund and sustain independent ARoB.
Let go back to PNG government renegotiate BPA and extend the recovery period by say 10 years so we can prepare better for the independence. We re-negotiate the statehood and referendum. There is no reason why we should not renegotiate an extension to better prepare for the independence. Over to you leaders!!

8 hrs · Edited · Like · 5
John Kopana Aung. John Becks. Totally agree with you. No need to panic, and we may have to swallow our pride/ego to insure that we are systematically prosecuting issues.

12 hrs · Like · 1
Warwick Brooker John (Becks) it might have to come to that. Otherwise, the only other alternative might finish up being abandoning the independence goal completely, and to many that would be unthinkable and unbearable in the light of the enormous sacrifices made to gain independence.

9 hrs · Edited · Like · 1
Mycall Essam Miise Gives more reason for ex combatants to hold on to their guns. People are not sure whether independence will be achieved. Too many against the government.

7 hrs · Like · 2
Warwick Brooker Mikes, I hate to think of that happening, but if Bougainville can’t achieve self-sufficiency economically and through the demonstration of good governance and civil obedience, who knows what could happen. I believe you’re correct in suggesting that the…See More

7 hrs · Like
Steven Kolova The so-called fiscal self reliance is measure of formal sector economic activities such as GDP n per capita income but I suppose the level of poverty in Bougainville is better than many so called developed states where there are beggars n people sleeping at bus stops and living in wrecks yu can hardly see such scenarios in Bougainville ating even better than many parts of PNG

7 hrs · Like · 1
Mycall Essam Miise Yes Warwick Brooker. If there is no economic base for independence I hate to think what the heck is going to happen? ABG is running out of time and options. The government is now focused on mining in the last 5 years with the thinking it will take a co…See More

7 hrs · Like · 3
Tony Oawa Can we accept that Bougainville is NOT ready for independence? Guys thats the reality. Daunim tasol na yumi ranim autonomous governemnt.

6 hrs · Like · 1

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 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.

Nov 12 2014

Bougainville Development News: Arrival of MV Chebu sees Bougainvilleans united to embrace development in region

“Our unity is what makes us strong and this same spirit can makes us realize our aspirations and reach our ultimate destination, So I believe that if we can work together and address the issue of self-determination in the same manner we will achieve that which we so crave,”

President Momis speaking at the welcome about the importance of ventures like MV Chebu to the people on Bougainville

Buka Town came to a standstill as the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville gave the MV Chebu a rousing welcome amidst much fanfare and celebration as the vessel steamed into Buka Wharf on Tuesday.

Story by Anthony Kaybing/photograph’s were taken by Simon Jaintong

Bougainvilleans braved the sweltering heat of the humid day which eventually turned into a tumultuous storm to bear witness to a historic event, the arrival of a vessel suitably defined to cater for their maritime needs.

It was also a an emotionally charged affair for those who remembered the ill-fated Rabual Queen which sank off the Morobean Coast on the 2^nd of February 2012 and resulted in the loss of over two hundred Bougainvillean lives along with many Papua New Guineans.

But the many who flocked to the wharf to welcome MV Chebu into Bougainville shores shared a feeling of hope and optimism to see the evidence of Bougainville’s rise from the ashes and its journey into progress and development after suffering from the bloodiest conflict in the South Pacific second only to World War II.

It was a time when Bougainvilleans with a mutual feeling of heartiness and pride took ownership of a new development and feverishly swarmed into the wharf to take a look at the new vessel.

On hand to welcome the MV Chebu’s maiden voyage into Bougainville were leaders from the Autonomous Bougainville Government including President Chief Dr John Momis and several of the members and ministers of the Bougainville House of Representatives and senior bureaucrats with chiefs from the clans in the North Bougainville area.

Local PNG businessman and philanthropist Sir Henry Chow who is involved with the ABG in the joint venture that has seen the formation of the Chebu Shipping Company, was also present to witness the event.

Sir Henry and his son Fabian were initiated into Nakas and Amara clans respectively as chieftains of these clans as a sign of respect and gratitude by the people of Bougainville.

An emotional Sir Henry said he was happy and proud to see the support Bougainvilleans have shown in welcoming MV Chebu into Bougainville and him and his son the honor to being initiated as chiefs.

“Bougainville has always been a significant place in my family’s history, and I am certainly not new to place,” said the knight.

The Chow family has had a long history with Bougainville spanning three quarters of a century with members of Sir Henry’s family owning property and businesses in Bougainville.

Just prior to the Bougainville Crises the Chow Family had numerous vessels operating in Bougainville, losing one as a result of the conflict.

Despite the losses suffered by the Chow Family during the Crises they continued to help in whatever way they could over the years.

Their help would continue on till the ill-fated Rabaul Queen disaster that cost more than 300 hundred lives, most of whom were students travelling back to their respective schools to begin the academic year.

Sir Henry said the idea to enter into a joint venture with the ABG and the Chow Family business arm Hakau Investments came about after the Rabaul Queen disaster in early 2012 when ABG President Chief Dr John Momis discussed the need for safe and efficient vessels to provide for the people along the New Guinea Islands maritime route.

During the disaster Sir Henry Chow was the first respondent to help the ABG organize food, shelter as well as providing funds for the survivors.

It was also during the disaster that initial discussions over the joint venture started and blossomed over the next three years and saw the creation of the Chebu Shipping Company which will now manage the joint venture between the ABG and Hakau Investment.

Over the next three years the vessel’s design was done be according to specifications that would meet the maritime needs of the New Guinea Islands and for two years MV Chebu was being constructed at the Shunhai Ship Building Company Shipyard in China.

The vessel has been christened MV Chebu in homage to the iconic Chebu stone near Sohano Island and old folklore suggest it was responsible for creating the Buka Passage.

ABG President Chief Dr John Momis Paid tribute to those who worked hard to seeing the joint venture a reality and he especially thanked the Chow Family for their willingness to invest in Bougainville.

Dr Momis also expressed his happiness in seeing Bougainvilleans united to embrace development in the region

“Our unity is what makes us strong and this same spirit can makes us realize our aspirations and reach our ultimate destination,” the President said.

“So I believe that if we can work together and address the issue of self-determination in the same manner we will achieve that which we so crave,” he said.

“Self-determination is rejecting, corruption, self-determination is rejecting violence and the negative aspects of life that cause disunity and instability,” President Momis.

The President’s remarks urged Bougainvilleans to use their intellect and will to work in union to enable Bougainville to realize its political self-determination.

The President expressed his gratitude to the Chow family for their endeavoring efforts in seeing the vessel through its completion a month and for having the faith to reinvest in Bougainville after the Bougainville Crises.

MV Chebu left Bougainville on its first commercial run taking Team Bougainville athletes to Lae for the PNG Games on Wednesday 12^th November 2014.

The vessel has a total capacity of 370 passengers that includes 22 passengers, a top speed of 12 knots and a gross tonnage of 1152 tonnes.

Nov 5 2014

Bougainville News: Six tonnes of unexploded munitions cleared from a World War II Bougainville battle site

Australian soldiers have cleared more than six tonnes of unexploded hand grenades and mortars from a World War II battle site on the island of Bougainville, east of Papua New Guinea.

Watch the Australian Department of Defence VIDEO Here

The huge haul of munitions came in just the first week of Operation Render Safe 2014.

Report from Liam Cochrane ABC network Australia

Photo from the Australian High Commission PNG

The Australian-led international mission is clearing potentially deadly munitions from the villages and food gardens around Torokina, on the west coast of Bougainville.

The Australian Army said the sheer amount of rusty old munitions surprised even seasoned explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) experts.

“They are mostly two-inch-high explosive mortars and hand grenades, in varying conditions, left in place after the war,” EOD operator Warrant Officer Class Two David Austin said.

An Allied air base was built at Torokina by the US in 1943 and was the launching place for Australian ground attacks against the Japanese in 1944-1945.

More than 500 Australians died and 1,500 were injured in the Bougainville campaign.

Seventy years later, the Australian army has returned to clean up the deadly remnants of war.

More than 500 Australian military personnel are involved in Operation Render Safe 2014, with support from HMAS Choules, an MRH90 helicopter, landing craft and amphibious vehicles.

With little infrastructure at Torokina, soldiers have landed vehicles on the beach and trekked into the jungle to look for unexploded ordinance.

Despite five months of awareness-building activities, there were criticisms of the munitions clearance by some former combatants in the more recent conflict on Bougainville.

Australia’s role on Bougainville is still a sensitive issue due to the civil war in the 1990s, sparked by disputes over the Panguna mine, operated by Rio Tinto subsidiary Bougainville Copper Limited.

“Former combatants have said that this operation is a breach of the Bougainville Peace Agreement, but I had explained to them that the operation… enhances the peace that the people of Torokina want,” said Patrick Nisira, vice-president of the autonomous government of Bougainville.

Local police help soldiers locate storage pits

Australian army personnel said the reception on the ground had been friendly.

“The people of Bougainville have been most welcoming and we have been working very closely with them to identify explosive remnants of war which pose a threat to local communities,” operation commander Captain Jay Bannister said.

Members of the Bougainville Police Service and locals have helped soldiers locate the munitions storage pits, with assistance from explosives experts from the US, UK, Canada, News Zealand and Solomon Islands.

“As well as helping the community, this is a great training opportunity for the younger EOD guys,” Mr Austin said.

“For the past 10 years we have been focused on the Middle East region but this gets us back to the grass roots fundamentals of our job.”

The mortars and hand grenades were stacked in pits and destroyed by a controlled blast.

Operation Render Safe 2014 will end on 8 November.

Previous Operation Render Safe missions have removed unexploded ordnance from Solomon Islands and Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.

Nov 2 2014

Bougainville News : A lost decade? Service delivery and reforms in Papua New Guinea

“The positive results revealed by the survey not only show that progress in service delivery is possible in Papua New Guinea, but also show how progress can be made. A large chunk of the report is devoted to understanding the impact (or lack of impact) of recent reforms, such as free health and education, and the reasons for the differences and trends that we observe.”

The full report, a summary, and a two-page overview are available here.

A report based on two surveys ten years apart and two years of analysis has been by a team of researchers from the National Research Institute (NRI) and The Australian National University (ANU).

In 2002, the Papua New Guinea National Research Institute (NRI), in collaboration with the World Bank, surveyed some 330 primary schools and health clinics across the country, from the national capital to the most remote districts. In 2012, NRI, this time in collaboration with the Development Policy Centre at ANU, went back to many of the same primary schools and health clinics in the same eight provinces, this time surveying a total of about 360 facilities.

The end-product is a data set of unprecedented detail and depth in relation to service delivery in PNG. Indeed, very few countries around the world can boast of a panel survey of facilities of this type which enables comparisons to be made over time.

The NRI-ANU research team has spent the last two years analysing the data sets, and today released their results at the report launch at the NRI campus in Port Moresby.

The report, A lost decade? Service delivery and reforms in Papua New Guinea, shows that PNG’s primary schools have expanded rapidly over the last decade, but that fewer services are now provided by its health clinics.

Since the difficulties of service delivery in PNG are already well-known, what is perhaps more interesting are the areas of progress shown in the report. There were 89 per cent more children enrolled in the average PNG primary school in 2012 compared to 2001. Whereas there used to be one girl at primary school for every two boys, now there is almost one girl for every boy. The number of teachers has grown by a third over the decade, and the share of female teachers has grown from a quarter to a half. The number of ghost teachers (teachers claiming pay but not actually working) has fallen dramatically. The average school has more and better classrooms, teacher houses and textbooks. More have drinking water and electricity.

Of course, PNG’s primary schools and – to a much greater extent – health clinics still face many challenges. A third of classrooms require rebuilding: the same share as in 2002. Class sizes have increased a lot, and there are broader concerns about the quality of education on offer. Though the number of children in school has certainly increased, absenteeism has risen.

Nevertheless, the positive results revealed by the survey not only show that progress in service delivery is possible in Papua New Guinea, but also show how progress can be made. A large chunk of the report is devoted to understanding the impact (or lack of impact) of recent reforms, such as free health and education, and the reasons for the differences and trends that we observe.

Getting finances to the service delivery front-line stands out as critical. A lot more funds are reaching schools today than health clinics. About 40 per cent of health clinics receive no external support at all (in cash or in kind), whereas nearly all schools receive the twice-yearly subsidy payments. And schools receive more than twice as much funding than they did ten years ago, even after inflation. What they have lost in school fees they have more than made up for through generous government support.

Local governance and supervision also matter. Schools have mature and increasingly powerful Boards of Management which provide local oversight. They receive community support through P&C Committees. And most schools are inspected.

Resolving workforce issues is also key. The Education Department has been able to hire new teachers, whereas many retired health workers continue in place since there is no-one to replace them. Significantly, about half the health workers we interviewed felt they were not being paid at the correct grade. That was true of teachers ten years ago, but now it is only 10 per cent. Again, progress is possible.

In summary, getting funding to the front line, providing community and administrative oversight, and sorting out human resource problems seems to be the secret for the success of PNG’s primary schools. It is a recipe that could be applied more to primary health care, perhaps starting at the bigger district-level facilities.

Regular monitoring of basic data across PNG is critical for understanding what is working, what isn’t working, and why. Without it, we will be in the dark about service delivery. We look forward to the discussion that we hope our report will generate. In our next phase of research, we’ll be going back into the field to undertake more detailed case studies to better understand the conditions required for service delivery success. And perhaps in another five years or so we’ll be able to further develop this unique data set by undertaking another nationwide facility survey.

Professor Stephen Howes is Director of the Development Policy Centre. Andrew Anton Mako was a Research Fellow at NRI for most of the duration of this project. Dr Grant Walton and Dr Anthony Swan are Research Fellows at the Development Policy Centre. Dr Thomas Webster is the Director of the National Research Institute. Colin Wiltshire is the Project Manager for the PEPE project at the Development Policy Centre.

The NRI-ANU PNG Promoting Effective Public Expenditure (PEPE) project aims to understand how Papua New Guinea allocates its public funds and how these funds are provided to and used by those responsible for delivering basic services. PEPE is supported by the Australian aid program through the Economic and Public Sector Program (EPSP).

The full report, a summary, and a two-page overview are available here.

Our previous blog posts on PEPE research are collected here.

Oct 29 2014

Bougainville News : Reflections of turtles and our culture

Story by Simon Pentanu Pok Pok Island

When I was a kid growing up we use to see a lot of greenback turtles on the sea surface around our waters.They would come up to breathe every now and then. Leather back turtles were also around but they were not as numerous. The old people use to say leatherbacks preferred less populated and less travelled sea lanes and preferred to go ashore to bury and hatch their eggs on black beaches.

Our mode of sea transport was canoe of course. The indomitable motorised Yamaha boats flooded Bougainville very quickly only following the advent of mining on the Island. Anyways, with canoes we could paddle very close to the turtles, as kids we were tempted to jump on them but tales of turtles taking kids into the deep were told to us to discourage us. You could say that this and similar fables served a very practical conservation purpose.

There are greenback turtles still around but the hunting “grounds” for the big ones are far and away from the Island. These days they are caught mostly for feasts and other special occasions. On the rare occasions when young turtles have been sold alive at the fish market at Mangkaki, I’ve seen expat NGOs and other visiitng folk buy them and walk down to the beach and release them to swim away into their habitat. There is no doubt the message has been clearly understood and you will not see any live turtles being sold amongst the fish. This has not stopped turtle meat being sold though, it has its own deicacy. But it is an achievement that RSPCTF (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Turtles and Fishes) would be proud of.

The last time I was home just last month I thought a lot about turtles while my daughter and two villagers were on a picnic day out on Tausina Island. I thought then, if there aren’t turtles to see on the day we should imitate some turtle postures, turtle swimming, turtle spins, turtle flaps and getaways. Turtle whatever !!

So here, in this photo I have turned turtle imitating a turtle float. I am a really huge turtle, a leatherback if you like, afloat and lost to the world. You will notice that I am floating face up with my back down. Turtles float and swim with heads and beaks down and backs up.

Oct 29 2014

Bougainville Development News: Chocolate voyage aims to upgrade plantation in Bougainville

A tasty initiative launching on November 6 aims to link New Zealand and the Pacific region of Bougainville through crowdfunded chocolate making.The Wellington Chocolate Voyage kickstarter campaign is run by Wellington chocolate makers Rochelle Harrison and Gabe Davidson and international development worker Sera Price. The Voyage will raise funds to upgrade a cocoa plantation in the Pacific region of Bougainville, improving the farmers’ equipment then buying a crop of rare, high-quality cocoa beans from them at a fair price. Gabe and Rochelle will transport the beans to Wellington themselves on a sailing ship and turn them into a uniquely flavoured artisan ‘Bougainville Bar’ at The Wellington Chocolate Factory.The Bougainville Bar will be gifted to Kickstarter backers and Bougainville cocoa bean farmers – many of whom have never tasted chocolate.‘The Voyage is an adventure for anyone who loves chocolate and wants to see amazing places like Bougainville get a fair deal,’ said Mr Davidson. ‘We built the idea out of passion for great food, ethical business, and extraordinary people. By backing us you get to follow the entire journey from bean to bar. Plus there’s a sailing ship and everyone can get chocolate!’Bougainville, an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea, is familiar to many Kiwis from the book and movie ‘Mr Pip’. New Zealand has a long-standing connection with the region, which experienced a devastating civil war during the 1990s.

‘Bougainville once had fine quality cocoa but the industry suffered, as did the rest of the region, from war and neglect.’ said Ms Harrison. ‘They are rebuilding and we want to help put their cocoa back on the map!’

Running the Wellington Chocolate Factory is a dream job for the pair, but it’s also made them keenly aware of the difficulties faced by cocoa farmers worldwide. Through a chance meeting with international development worker Sera Price, they learned of a cocoa-growing legend in need of some support.

‘James Rutana is Bougainville’s Mr Cocoa’, said Ms Price. ‘He’s been growing and developing cocoa beans since 1958, and runs a programme to share his knowledge and planting materials with other farmers in the region. James is an inspirational figure but has faced many setbacks – the Wellington Chocolate Voyage is way for Kiwis to get behind his dreams for Bougainville.’

‘The Voyage is part of the new revolution in artisan chocolate, where mega-industrialised production takes a back seat to skill, care, and people.’ said Mr Davidson. ‘We want everyone to be part of making great chocolate and a better tasting world.’

The Wellington Chocolate Voyage aims to raise $36,000 or more, with backer options starting at $10. It launches on Kickstarter Thursday November 6.
Video preview is available at http://youtu.be/vRRgShmDxEI

Oct 27 2014

Bougainville News: Torokina Community have welcomed Operation Render Safe

The Torokina Community in South Bougainville have welcomed Operation Render Safe into their area and see it as a positive step toward development.

Apart from reservations raised by ex-combatants and some leaders the Torokina people when welcoming the dignitaries from the representative nations taking part in the operation expressed their gratitude to them.

On hand were the National Member for South Bougainville and Minister for Bougainville Affairs as well as the ABG President Chief Dr John Momis.

President Momis said that the help from the Australian Government as well as the other nations participating in the operation will create a conducive atmosphere for the people and the government to embark on new socio economic development.

“I would also like to thank the leaders and people of Torokina for accepting the development into their communities and to allow this operation to create safer communities in the District.

“With the ABG’s aspirations to create a democratic government which is our primary objective, we also have to provide services for our people, with this being said services are not an easy task,” the President said.

President Momis said that despite the incapacities of Bougainville’s internal revenue the government is still committed to providing basic services to the people of Bougainville/

The President added that Operation Render Safe will pave the way forward for development in the area.

The President’s sentiments were shared by Minister for Bougainville Affairs Steven Pirika who stated that for too long the people of Torokina suffered from the remnants of war left behind by the allied forces.

Minister Pirika said that move by the governments of the allied forces to remove the unexploded ordnances in the area is a sure sign of development and partnership between all the stakeholders involved in the operation.

Operation Render Safe is currently underway and involves military personal from Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand and police from the Solomon Islands.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams from the taskforce nations have uncovered over 3000 landmines and bombs from WWII.

The EOD teams will be stationed along in Torokina for the duration of the operation and try to cover as much land area as possible.

Sep 7 2014

Bougainville Government news: Restructure of Ministers and departments heads to be advertised

Bougainville will now advertise the senior positions within its public service as part of its restructure under the new Bougainville Public Service (Administration and Management) Act 2014.

All departmental head appointments will be made by the Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee which consists of:

The President Hon John Momis, GL, MHR

The Speaker Hon Andrew Miriki

Church’s Representative Bishop Rev. Tim D Arthur

Women’s Representative Mrs Hona Holan

Bougainville Lawyer Mr Hubert Kikira

As for the purposes of appointing the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner the Bougainville Constitution requires that two National Government officers are added, these are Secretary of the Department for Personnel Management Mr John Kali and the PNG Electoral Commissioner Mr Andrew Trawen.

The Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee the Administration will shortly contract an executive recruitment firm to assist it and to make the departmental head appointments.

The firm will manage an open, transparent and merit-based recruitment process for the 14 departmental head positions, the two deputies in the Department of President and BEC and the urgent appointment of an Electoral Commissioner.

The timetable for the positions of Chief Secretary, Electoral Commissioner, Secretary of the Department of Administrative Services and Secretary of Treasury and Finance is:

In the week of Monday 8 September the start of two weeks of advertising for all positions.
Friday 26 September applications for these four positions will close.
Friday 10 October the shortlist will be prepared in consultation with Mr John Kali.
In the week of 20^th October interviews will be conducted.
In the week of 3 November, or earlier if the interviews and paperwork is completed, the Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee will meet to consider independent panel’s recommendations and to make appointments.
The timetable for the remaining departmental head positions is:

Friday 12 September all positions descriptions for the remaining 11 departments and two Deputy Chief Secretary positions will be completed.
The week of Monday 15 September the start of two weeks of advertising for all positions.
Friday 3 October applications close.
During October the recruitment firm will carry out referee and qualification checks and prepare the short lists for all positions.
Interviews will take place in November and early December. All enquiries about the recruitment process will be directed to the contracted recruitment firm. This is important to ensure all applicants are treated fairly and evenly.
From time to time the Administration will make announcements on the progress of the recruitment process.

The restructure of the Bougainville Public Service has also seen a minor reshuffle within the Autonomous Bougainville Cabinet to accommodate the changes.

The restructure sees the creation of new ministries while the Veterans Affairs, Peace, Media and Communication and Autonomy Ministries being absorbed by the new Department of the President and Bougainville Executive Council.

ABG President Chief Dr John Momis explained that the former ministries absorbed by the Department of the President and Bougainville Executive Council have been given priority and his office will see their coordination.

The minor ABG Cabinet reshuffle sees no new Ministers added but each Minister now has only one portfolio to deal with and work with their related department.

John L Momis Department of the President and Bougainville Executive Council

President

Patrick Nisira Department of Police and Corrections

Vice President

Rev. Joseph Nopei Department of Justice and the Principal Legal Adviser

Minister for Justice

Albert Punghau Department of Treasury and Finance

Minister for Treasury and Finance

Joel Banam Department of Administrative Services

Minister for Administrative Services

Michael Oni Department of Mineral Resources and Energy

Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy

Luke Karaston Department of Technical Services

Minister for Technical Services

Rose Pihei Department of Health

Minister for Health

John Tabaniman Department of Education

Minister for Education

David Sisito Department of Community Government

Minister for Community Government

Melchior Dare Department of Community Development

Minister for Community Development

Nicholas Daku Department of Primary Industries

Minister for Primary Industries

Wilfred Komba Department of Commerce and Tourism

Minister for Commerce and Tourism

Newton Kauva Department of Lands, Physical Planning, Environment and Conservation

Minister for Lands, Physical Planning,

Environment and Conservation

As the Ministerial Titles, Portfolios and Responsibilities goes into effect this makes each cabinet member responsible for National government liaison and coordination and consultation and liaison with any relevant Parliamentary Sectoral and Advisory Committee of the House of Representatives.

Re-structuring of all departments in order to meet Cabinet’s service delivery and economic growth priorities.

The Autonomous Bougainville Government has started implementing the Bougainville Public Service (Management and Administration) Act 2014 which will see the re-structuring of all departments in order to meet Cabinet’s service delivery and economic growth priorities.

ABG President Chief Dr. John Momis who signed the instruments to begin the process on the 3^rd of this month said the next six months will be a time of major change as all senior leadership roles are advertised and permanent appointments are made.

“I am very pleased to announce that acting on the advice of the Bougainville Executive Council I have today signed the instruments establishing 14 ministries in the Momis/Nisira Government,” Dr Momis said.

Dr Momis said that it is a radical restructure that is intended to meet Bougainville’s current and future needs and that Cabinet agrees that things have to change within the Administration of Bougainville.

“Business as usual is no longer acceptable, each of the new ministries has a supporting department,” Dr Momis added.

Acting under the authority of the recently passed Bougainville Senior Appointments Act 2014 the BEC has also made a number of acting appointments to the departmental head positions.

These are appointments until substantive Secretaries are recruited, but for no longer than six months. The acting appointments, effective as of the 3^rd of August 2014, are:

Mr Puara Kamariki Secretary for Administrative Services

Ms Brenda Tohiana Secretary for Treasury and Finance

Mr Kearnneth Nanei Secretary for Justice

Dr Anthony Pumpara Secretary for Health

Mr Michael Meten Secretary for Education

Mr Ephraim Eminoni Secretary for Police and Corrections

Mr Steven Burain Secretary for Mineral Resources and Energy

Mr Bernard Tzilu Secretary for Technical Services

Mr Herbert Kimai Secretary for Community Government

Mr Peter Nomoreke Secretary for Primary Industries

Mr Lesley Tseraha Secretary for Community Development

Mr Albert Kinani Secretary for Commerce and Tourism

Mr Andrew Dovaro Secretary for Lands, Physical Planning, Environment and Conservation

With these changes the current divisions are abolished, all current Chief Executive Officers (or acting CEOs) who have not been appointed to an acting departmental head role will retain their substantive position attached to the relevant department.

For the purposes of appointing the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner the Constitution requires that two National Government officers are added, these are National Secretary of the Department for Personnel Management Mr John Kali and the PNG Electoral Commissioner Mr Andrew Trawen.

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