Panguna Mine

The president made this statement after a landowner group announced that they have partnered with Caballus Mining, a firm based in Perth, to re-open Panguna Mine. 

“The idea of Caballus operating a mine on Bougainville has long been shelved after their failed attempt to co-sponsor the mining amendments with the former Momis-led ABG,” said Toroama. 

“Let me make it clear that the current ABG under my Presidency is not colluding with Caballus, RTZ, Bougainville Copper Limited or any landowner group. 

ABG Treasury and Finance Minister, Robin Wilson, said the move was to avoid further disputes until a common ground is reached on a way forward.

He said this during the presentation of the ABG’s budget to Treasury yesterday.

Wilson said the ABG Government implemented the moratorium on Panguna given various views of stakeholders which could potentially escalate problems.

He informed Deputy Prime Minister Charles Abel of the moratorium that is in place.

According to Business Advantage, Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) chairman, Rob Burns, says the meetings, to be held in November and December, include a mediation as well as a wardens’ hearing.

The first meeting on November 23 and 24 is the third round of mediation talks to settle a dispute over the chairmanship of the Special Mining Lease Osikaiyang Landowners Association (SMLOLA).

SMLOLA is one of the nine landowner associations in the project area.

A high delegation of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Government (ABG) representatives, who conducted a mining forum in Panguna and Arawa last Wednesday and Thursday, was met with stiff opposition from locals.

In Panguna, Regina Eremari, a landowner who represented the grassroots women of the area, said the ABG leaders were not considering the voice of the women.

The President’s comments followed remarks in Parliament by PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill yesterday that the ownership of the 17.4 percent shareholding of Bougainville Copper Ltd will be given to the landowners and people of the semi-autonomous PNG province.

"These shares are not given to the ABG, it is given to the landowners and people of Bougainville,” O’Neill said.

"I have deliberately done that so ABG does not control the shares."

O’Neill added that PNG Government will have no say in any discussion to open Panguna Mine in Bougainville.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill confirmed this in Parliament this morning.

He was responding to questions raised by Sinasina-Yongomugl MP Kerenga Kua in the ownership of the 17.4 percent shareholding that the prime minister announced yesterday.

"Let me correct the issues he has raised," O’Neill said.

"These shares are not given to the ABG, it is given to the landowners and people of Bougainville.

"I have deliberately done that so ABG does not control the shares."

With the lifting of the moratorium, the ABG can easily apply for a new prospect anywhere else on the island, and negotiations for Panguna have been dragging for too long and a lot of money has already been spent.

This was revealed last Wednesday by the Vice-President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government Patrick Nisira at the 11^th inauguration celebration at the Hutjena Oval.

“We can open any new prospect now because with the moratorium off, Panguna will become less important now, and if it drags on more, we will just quit it all now,” Nisira stated.