BCL: B’ville govt bills unnecessary

THE Bougainville Copper Limited believes that the proposed bills by the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) into Parliament in January were unnecessary.
The bills, if passed would result in major changes to Bougainville’s mining laws.
Board chairman Sir Melchior Togolo said yesterday during the company’s annual general meeting that the current Bougainville Mining Act 2015 already had provisions to allow landowners to voice their wishes.
“It’s very similar to the PNG Mining Act that provides procedures and processes on which companies (who wanted) to come in and develop resources in the country.”
Togolo said that the country had two sets of laws: the Environment Act and the Mining Act, while Bougainville had only the Bougainville Mining Act.
“But that Act provides the legal framework on which any mining company that worth its reputation to be able to work with,” he said.
“We do need laws that allows companies to ensure that they do the right thing by the country.”
Togolo said the bills were introduced with inadequate consultation and were met with widespread opposition including landowners who own Bougainville’s minerals under local law, community leaders and even parliamentarians.
“In February, debate on these bills was adjourned to allow the ABG Parliamentary Committee on Legislation to conduct community consultation,” he said.
“On invitation, I presented a submission to the committee in March in which the company’s concerns were detailed.
“BCL believes these bills are unnecessary.”
Togolo said parliamentary debate was expected to resume next month but strong levels of opposition appear to persist.
“It is worth nothing that an alternative Panguna development proposal by RTG Mining Inc was firmly rejected by the ABG in March.”
He also said that BCL remained committed to respectful and ethical engagement with stakeholders in Bougainville and continues to retain strong levels of support amongst the customary heads and landowners.