040411 momis on mining workshop By Aloysius Laukai
The President of Bougainville, Chief John Momis, last Friday spoke about the work that the ABG is doing to develop policy on future mining in Bougainville.
He made these remarks at the closing of a three-day workshop from Wednesday 30th March to Friday 1st April.
The workshop was attended by ABG ministers and senior Bougainville Administration officials and developed proposals for the ABG Cabinet to consider the aims of future mining, and the main options for achieving those aims.
Senior Bougainvilleans with extensive mining industry experience attended the workshop as facilitators and expert resource people on major issues.
They included Mel Togolo, Sam Akoitai and David Osikore. Their input was in addition to major inputs from expertise and experience from within the ABG. That included our Minister for Natural Resources, Mr. Michael Oni, and the senior officers from the ABG’s Department of Mining, headed by the very senior and experienced mining engineer, Mr. Stephen Burain.
Several international experts came from overseas. Professor Ciaran O’Fairchaellaigh of Griffith University (Brisbane) helped Mel Togolo to facilitate the workshop. He also discussed how indigenous landowners in other countries prepare to negotiate large resource projects.
Dr. Colin Filer from the Australian National University talked on social mapping of landowner communities in other parts of PNG. Two senior officers from the Australian Department of Finance and Deregulation discussed the use of sovereign wealth funds to manage revenues from large resource projects.
The President said that the workshop had helped ministers and senior officers to reach common understandings on the aims of, and options for, future mining. Recommendations from the workshop will be considered by the ABG Cabinet in the next few weeks.
President Momis emphasised that the workshop did not make any final decisions on the future of mining. Instead it was an important part of the process to help the ABG consider all options. When the Cabinet has considered those options, much more awareness and consultation work will be needed. The most important consultations will be with landowners in the 6 leases associated with the Panguna mine. Wider consultation may occur through regional forums. |