By Peterson Tseraha.LANDOWNERS of the lucrative Panguna Mine in...

By Peterson Tseraha.

LANDOWNERS of the lucrative Panguna Mine in central Bougainville have put their hands up to start the process of reconciliation in a bid to reopen the mine, which was once the world biggest.And they want the Autonomous Bougainville Government to honor their commitment by making available much needed funding to Kick start the reconciliation process amongst land owners first.
Land owners and chiefs in the area made this known to a government delegation who visited them in Panguna last week Thursday.ABG vice president Ezekiel Massat led the delegation accompanied by acting chief administrator Patrick Koles, ABG Finance minister Mathias Salas, Chief Planner Leslie Tseraha, reconciliation
steering Committee chairman George Manu and other officials and parliamentarians from the Kieta district.
The delegation went to Panguna to discuss and get the views of the Panguna people especially land owners on high impact projects and reconciliation packages.which the national government has promised to fund this year.
Mr Massat told the gathering that the national government has put Panguna as its first priority and since the ABG has earmarked 2009 as the year of implementation, this is the first step both governments are taking to first get the people of Panguna especially land owners to reconcile and then to establish some form of high impact projects.
Mr Massat said the National Government has announced its commitment in last month’s Joint Supervisory body (JSB) meeting in Moresby.
This as after President James Tanis presented the Panguna resolution at the JSB which the national government has taken up to deal with Panguna as one of its priority issues to deal and address with.

Mr Massat called on the people of Panguna especially the land owners to come together and settle out issues through reconciliation before they can see the real developments in their area.The land owners have come up with a list of reconciliations and high impact projects which is now with the administration of Bougainville that will be finalized and will go before the national executive council in Wabag this week.