bougainville mining forum updates leaders

http://ramumine.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/bougainville-mining-forum-updates-leaders/

Winterford Toreas | Post Courier

THE 2nd regional forum concerning the possible reopening of the Panguna Mine in Central Bougainville is currently underway at the Hutjena Secondary School Hall in Buka.

The forum, which was officially opened by the ABG President Chief Dr John Momis was attended by participants from the four districts of Selau/Suir, Tinputz, Kunua and Torokina Districts in Bougainville.

ABG Ministers Michael Oni (Mining), Rev. Joseph Nopei (LLG and Media Communications) and constituency members from the above four districts were also present during the forum.

The forum started on Monday and ended yesterday, and is aimed at engaging and updating various stakeholders and the wider community in the above districts on the progress of preparing the ABG and the landowners to participate in negotiations.

This forum will also be used to gauge the views of people in these four districts regarding the possible reopening of the Panguna Mine.

Before officially opening the forum, Mr Momis said many people always get worried about the outcomes, without thinking about the process to achieve these outcomes.

“When people are worried about the outcome, I say to them ‘do not worry about the outcome, worry about the process.’ Get the process right and the outcome will be delivered,” Mr Momis said.

Mr Momis also pointed out during his speech some of the decisions and processes which had led to the outbreak of the Bougainville crisis, saying that if there were proper consultations with the landowners and the wider communities this crisis would not have happened. He then said that the reopening of the mine would successfully take place following proper consultations being carried out.

The President also added that the ABG believes in consultative and conceptual approaches to
decision making between the landowners, and stakeholders and the ABG.

The forum is spearheaded by the Office of the Director for Panguna Negotiations and will be facilitated by the ABG Mining Department, Division of Law and Justice and the Office of Panguna Negotiations.

The first regional forum was held in November last year and was attended by various stakeholders from Buka, Nissan and the Atolls districts in North Bougainville.

Many of those that attended the first forum had expressed that they supported the idea of re-opening the Panguna Mine. This was because they saw that once the mine is reopened, it will help generate revenue for Bougainville.

Consultations with the mine affected and impacted landowners and other stakeholders like the former combatants have also been completed.