momis

THE REOPENING OF THE PANGUNA MINE, BUT ALSO ACCELLERATED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, PREPATIONS BY ABG AND PANGUNA MINE AFFECTED LANDOWNERS TO NEGOTIATE ITS REOPENING. MY GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT AN OPERATING PANGUNA MINE WILL BE CATAL YCTICAL TO BOUGAINVILLE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, GENERATING MUCH NEEDED REVENUE TO SUPPORT OTHER SECTORS OF OUR ECONOMY. MR SPEAKER, HOWEVER, THERE IS A DISTINCTION THAT NEEDS TO BE EMPHASISED BETWEEN THE PROCESS OF PREPARATIONS FOR, AND CONDUCT OF NEGOTIATIONS TO REOPEN THE PANGUNA MINE AND THE DRAFT BOUGAINVILLE MINING (TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS) BILL CURRETLY AT CONSULTATION STAGE. THE BOUGAINVILLE MINING BILL IS TO REGULATE ALL MINING ACTIVITIES IN THE REGION; ITS OBJECTIVE IS NOT
ABOUT PANGUNA MINE, ALTHOUGH A REOPENED PANGUNA MINE WILL BE
REQUIRED TO OPERATE AND BE REGULATED UNDER THIS AND FUTURE
BOUGAINVILLE MINING LAWS. TO CONTINUE TO MAKE BLANKET STATEMENTS THAT THE PROPOSED BOUGAINVILLE MINING BILL OR SECTIONS OF THE BILL PROTECTS BOUGAINVILLE COPPER LIMITED, AS SOME PEOPLE CONTINUE TO ASSERT IS NOT TRUE.