Go back to China”, say locals in AROB
By ROMULUS MASIU
YESTERDAY, two Port Moresby-based Chinese nationals were told to pack up and go back to where they came from by some business representatives and ex-combatants in Arawa, Central Bougainville. There was strong opposition from some business representatives and ex-combatants in Arawa of a proposed wholesale business venture between a Chinese national and their Bougainvillean partners based in Arawa. Those present at the scene witnessed an angry individual who confronted one of the Chinese nationals with their partners and verbally told him to leave, if not his safety is not guaranteed or the proposed warehouse building will be burnt. The reason behind local business people and former combatants’ strong opposition to the Chinese presence is that, they don’t want people to come and do business which they are already doing, especially retail, wholesale and kai bars (restaurants). Instead they (Asians) should come big and invest in ‘big businesses’ like factories, canneries and such. Some members of ex-combatant groups said that Asians come with such promises of building big things like factories but when they settle, they operate just what the locals are doing at the moment, as evident in Buka and Buin, where they are retailing, which they said is ‘killing’ the small and struggling local operators in the region. However, pro-Chinese critics who wished to remain anonymous told Post-Courier that Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has opened up the region for genuine investors, including the Chinese. They added that people must learn to respect the ABG policy to invite investors to come and invest in the region through working in partnership with local businesses. “It is the ABG policy to venture into partnerships with credible investors. So the policy needs to be enforced and controlled by the authorities,” they elaborated. “We must change our attitude and open up to invite people to work in partnership. “We must not see business as competition, but see it as partnership, especially when we will decide our own separate political future in a few years time. “We must set the proper standards now in bringing development through business.” |