The Bougainville Copper Company (BCL) is ready to work with the...

The Bougainville Copper Company (BCL) is ready to work with the people of Bougainville and their Government if given the opportunity says the Chairman of the BCL Board of Directors and Bougainville’s own son, SIR MEL TOGOLO.In an exclusive Interview with New Dawn FM, SIR TOGOLO said Bougainville Copper Limited is owned by the government and the people of Bougainville.He said at the moment 36 percent is owned by Bougainville and another 36 percent is owned by the Government of Bougainville if the talk by Prime Minister JAMES MARAPE to release their 36 percent, Bougainville will own 72 percent with the 28 percent also owned by thousands of Bougainvilleans and other shareholders.The Chairman said that BCL is not operating but it continues to support community driven projects and school fee assistance to many.He said however, if the mine starts again the level of community support will increase.The Chairman said that currently BCL has offices in Port Moresby, Arawa and Buka and continues to support the government and the communities with small assistance as Bougainville does not have other investors who can support our communities.On a question, if BCL was given the greenlight by the landowners and the Bougainville Government how many years would it take to start operating?The Chairman said it would carry pre- feasibility study, then feasibility study again and could start reconstruction and would take between 5 to 10 years.SIR MEL told New Dawn FM that BCL can support the Bougainville Government to quickly raise much needed monies for this new nation of Bougainville.This can be done by providing Employment, Paying Corporate Taxes and other taxes also Businesses will boom that will boost the economy for Bougainville.He said that because this is a local Bougainville company, unlike in the past, all the benefits will be felt by the people of Bougainville contributing in funding agricultural and other big projects on Bougainville.Ends