Lifting of mining ban welcomed by B’villeans

THE lifting of the mining moratorium by the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) House of Representatives on Tuesday was welcomed by the people of Bougainville, former rebel commander, Sam Kauona says.
Kauona told The National that with the next step of reopening the Panguna mine, lifting the moratorium would give an opportunity to other resource owners apart from Panguna to partake  in mining activities.
Negotiations between ABG, the national government, Panguna landowners and the Bougainville Copper Limited are yet to begin.
He said the decision gave resource owners every right to operate as long as their activities were within the new Bougainville Mining Act.
Kauona said by law Panguna was under BCL’s moratorium and for them (BCL) to come back to operate it depended on how well they would negotiate with the other parties concerned.
“What the other resources owners are happy about is their areas which are not under BCL’s moratorium.”
He said resource owners would now have the right to negotiate with potential investors in accordance with the Bougainville Mining Act.
“For alluvial mining to take place the investors have to meet terms and conditions of the resource owners.”
He said resource owners had the right to say yes or no if any deal was not honoured.