THE Autonomous Bougainville Government supports re-opening of the Panguna copper mine, but that can only be possible with the support of the landowners and the people of Bougainville. This is the message from Bougainville president John Momis to the PNG Australian Business Forum in Madang.
And Bougainville Copper Limited agreed that they need to do a better job this time in addressing landowner concerns and sharing of benefits. BCL chairman Peter Taylor said landowners and the ABG will take the lead this time around.
Mr Momis said concerns of the people in terms of benefits sharing, employment and business opportunities were central to the concerns of the people that resulted in terrible bloodshed and suffering. ?Against that background, the possible reopening of the Panguna mine has attracted a great deal of attention, and some controversy. Panguna remains a sensitive issue in Bougainville,? he said.
?In principle, the ABG supports re-opening Panguna. We see that as the most realistic way of contributing to broad-based economic growth, and generating the ABG revenues required to meet the needs of our people.
?It must also be emphasised that in planning for meeting those needs, we are working within a very tight timetable. ?The constitutionally guaranteed referendum on independence must be held within the five year period that begins just four years from now ? no earlier than 2015 and no later than 2020. ?As a result we need development and revenue as soon as possible, so that the ABG can work with the National Government and other partners to make the current autonomy arrangements work well.? ?We want autonomy to deliver real benefits to our people. In that way, when the referendum is held, Bougainvilleans will have a real choice ? a choice between the actual benefits of autonomy and the possibilities of independence.
?But while the ABG sees potential benefits from re-opening Panguna, we also believe that a final decision can only be made if that is the will of the people. We need broad-based support for proceeding in that way.?
The BCL chairman who was yesterday elected as the president of Australia PNG Business Council told the forum that Panguna mine still had a large ore body capable of producing 50 million tonnes of ore a year for the next 20 years. That works out to 450,000 ounces a gold and 170,000 tonnes of copper a year. ?So it has been an elephant, and it remains a pretty robust member of that species still. And it has other attributes that make it a continuingly attractive target,? Mr Taylor said. ?It?s not green field. We?ve been there for those 17 years of operation and waited another 20 years since, and there is not much we don?t know about our ore body, and our host community.? ?And there are seven adjacent exploration licence areas which offer the very tangible prospect of further significant discoveries. Once the long standing moratorium on exploration is lifted, I believe the circumstances in the Autonomous Bougainville Region will eventually see that constraint relaxed.?
?There is a very wide consensus on Bougainville today that peace and continuing good order will be best achieved by economic means. That the normal aspirations of the people for a good life and a fulfilling future for their children will be delivered by employment, training, regular income, infrastructure and business activity.? ?After a few false starts the consensus is now firmly in favour of BCL being the preferred operator of the mine at Panguna if it restarts, and that the mine and its associated activities will be the engine driving all those benefits. We are now opening a new chapter for Bougainville Copper.?
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