Minister for Communications and Member for Central Bougainville Jimmy Miringtoro has clariflied a MoU signed by Paguna mine landowners last week.
He saidthe MoU is not binding;the Panguna landowners are simply being open-minded in dealing with anybody wanting to do business inthe mining sector.
Onthe outset he saysthe Autonomous region of Bougainville is not ready to re-openthe mine; not until sufficient local expertise is available.
Duringthe interview, Miringtoro looked calm in his Port Moresby office despite media reports ofthe ABe government rejecting an agreement signed between Panguna landowners and a Chinese firm.
The Panguna Mine AffectedLandowners Association andthe Beijing Aerospace Great Wall MineralInvestment Ltd signed a MoU last week for negotiations relating tothe reopening ofthe Panguna mine, especially on mine waste management.
However, Momis saysthe agreement was “an act of bad faith”.
Miringtoro said it was a case of misconception, an agreement was never signed, rther a MoU which is not binding.
He assures Bougainvilleans not to panic, that he would never sign anything that would jeopardizetheir well-being.
He saysthPNG Government is pouring money into Bougainville and it’s up tothe ABe to managethe funds properly to rebuildthe island nation.
He said if Bougainvilleans want to controltheir economy,then re-openingthe mine at this stage is notthe answer.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=S_Yf69dZ3Zk%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
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