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Thursday, 10/25/2012 2:20:12 PM

Thursday, October 25, 2012 2:20:12 PM

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BG sees Panguna re-opening as priority
By GRACE TIDEN

THE AUTONOMOUS Boug­ain­ville Government has considered the Panguna Re-Opening Process and Negotiations as its highest priority.
Speaking in Kokopo on Wednesday this week during the one-day Joint Supervisory Body meeting between the ABG and the National Government, ABG President Chief Dr John Momis said they hope the issue will be treated as a special agenda on all future JSB meetings until the matter was concluded.
He said the brief that was presented to the JSB detailed the administrative actions taken jointly by the ABG and by the appropriate National Government Departments to deal with the Panguna Re-Opening Process.
A meeting between ABG and the National Government Technical Officers (Joint Technical Officials Meeting) which was held two days before the JSB meeting recommended that a Joint Panguna Review Coordination Group to be established and that the ABG was preparing itself and the landowners to negotiate on this matter.
A full brief by the ABG and the National Government on the progress of the Panguna re-opening process and negotiations was presented during the JSB meeting.
Amongst the conclusions and records of the JSB was the Panguna Negotiations which stated that the JSB noted the establishment of the Panguna Co-ordination Committee within the ABG for the Panguna reopening process and fully endorsed the work streams and the cooperative relations between the ABG and the National Government.
The JSB also agreed for the state to commit its support to the process for the reopening of the Panguna Mine.
Dr Momis also said under the JSB Agenda item Mining, Oil and Gas, the ABG was working on its own mining legislation and drafting instructions has been approved for a Bill for a transitional ABG Mining Act.
He said the main reason for this step being taken was to emphasis that it was the ABG that sets mining policy for Bougainville and that all stakeholders must obey the law.
“This includes foreign companies, some of which so far have failed to even consult either the ABG or lawful PNG authorities about their mining related activities in Bougainville. This ABG legislation will hopefully put a stop to this practice in an emphatic way,” he said.

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