Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Insurance Service Restored

By Inside PNG 21/03/2024

Insurance services in the Autonomous Bougainville Region has been restored after more than 30 years through a partnership between the Bougainville Government and Capital Insurance Group.

The re-establishment of this vital services now provides a safeguard mechanism for the establishment of new businesses and expansion of existing ones.

Paved through the Toroama-Nisira Government Bougainville’s vice President and Minister for Commerce, Patrick Nisira said the initiative is desired to restore investor confidence on the island region following the Bougainville conflict.

“Insurance services is a crucial elements of our economic independence journey that we are embarking towards achieving prosperity and self-determination,” Nisira said.

Capital Insurance Group, Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Norton said bringing back an insurance service to Bougainville was their response to the business community that encountered business losses due to natural disasters and human-made causes.

Capital Insurance Group, Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Norton, addressing the public in Buka town.

“This is an important part of our long-term commitment and will drive sustainability and provide the foundation for a gradual roll out of services across Bougainville,” Norton said.

The new branch will be housed in the same location in the existing TISA office in Buka. The services offered include insurance solutions such as business protection, workers’ compensation, motor and general liability to individuals and businesses.

“An important function of a good insurance company is to provide its clients with risk management advise and recommendations. This has an important role in minimizing and preventing accidents, fires, break ins, vehicle crashes and workplace accidents,” Norton said.

ABG Secretary for Department of Commerce, Trade, Industry and Economic Development, Alex Kerangpuna thanked Capital Insurance Group for sharing Bougainville’s aspirations for economic growth and for their commitment to establish their services in Bougainville.

“Our endeavor to bring in insurance services cannot come easily without having an established business partner in the insurance sector that takes up the challenge to invest here,” Kerangpuna said.

Recent: https://insidepng.com/increasing-access-to-electricity-in-arawa/ , https://insidepng.com/new-community-hall-ioro-panguna-district/

Keep Reading

Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Community Hall

By Inside PNG 21/03/2024

A new government hall built for community engagements was declared open in Ioro, Panguna District in Bougainville.

This facility is a purpose-built for community meeting spaces with kitchenettes and storage rooms, a disability access ramp, chairs and storage racks, ceiling fans, and a 9,000-litre water tank.

Delivered at a cost of K30 million, it is one of several infrastructures built by the Australian government through the 19 districts in the Autonomous Bougainville Region.

Australian High Commissioner to PNG John Feakes was in Bougainville to witness launch of Australia funded projects.

“These buildings provide meetings spaces for community governments and wards, furthering their efforts to meet their community’s development needs, ” said Feakes.

This community government infrastructure initiative supports Australia’s localisation policy, which prioritises contracting of local Bougainville-based service providers. The project created employment and skills development opportunities in the construction sector for over 200 people across Bougainville.

Minister for Community Government and District Affairs in the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Theonila Roka-Matbob, said the Community Government facilities are designed to support community governments and wards.

She added that the hall now provide a functional space for the elected women and men to work together to perform their leadership and administrative duties and for community meetings and local activities.

Recent: https://insidepng.com/increasing-access-to-electricity-in-arawa/

Keep Reading

Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Increasing Access to Electricity

By Inside PNG 21/03/2024

Residents in Arawa town should start enjoying a more reliable access to electricity supply with the completion of renewable energy upgrades come 2025.

This includes the Autonomous Region of Bougainville’s first commercial-scale solar farm with battery storage.

These upgrades are part of a broader suite of the Australian support for provincial power stations across Papua New Guninea and include plans to upgrade Buka’s power station.

To mark the project’s half-way point, Australian High Commissioner To PNG, John Feakes, was taken on a tour by Autonomous Bougainville Government President, Ishmael Toroama to the power station

Feakes said Australia is committed to improving access to energy in Bougainville and is supporting the ABG’s economic development and energy goals.

“The solar panels installed are already providing power to Arawa. Once fully completed in 2025, this project will further improve power supply for local businesses and enhance many facets of people’s lives, including health and education, and increasing safety and security, especially for women and girls,” said Feakes.

The PGK18.8 million renewable energy upgrades in Arawa are being implemented in two stages.

The first stage is a small solar plant at PNG Power Limited’s (PPL) existing power station that, as of March this year, has begun supplying power in Arawa.

The second stage will deliver a larger solar farm with a battery energy storage system at a new site that PPL acquired in 2023 with assistance from the ABG.

Once completed, the upgrades will decrease running costs for PPL by reducing reliance on expensive diesel fuel and will cut carbon emissions by 1,800 tonnes of CO2e in the first year alone, allowing PPL to supply more reliable power to the people of Arawa.

“Australia looks forward to jointly launching the completed project with the Government of PNG and the ABG in March 2025,” Feakes said.

Recent: https://insidepng.com/new-community-hall-ioro-panguna-district/

Keep Reading

Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Process in Judicial Review

By Inside PNG 31/10/2023

There’s notable development made in the ongoing discussions between the Autonomous Bougainville Government and Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) in relation to the Judicial Review Dialogue.

This includes the appointment of five Bougainvillean directors to reflect it’s local representatation.

“I am pleased to advise that good progress has been made in our ongoing discussions with Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) aimed at amicably ending long-running Judicial Review proceedings in the National Court of PNG, “said Toroama.

In January 2018, the Bougainville Government refused an extension of BCL’s exploration licence (ELO1).

In April 2018, the Court granted a leave to BCL for a judicial review of the decision.

Toroama said much has happened since then, including the historic referendum that’s paving Bougainville’s path to independence.

“BCL has also continued its transition as a local company, and the ABG currently has 36.45% shareholding in BCL. Through this, the process of transferring another 36.45% presently held by the National Government started,” said Toroama.

In total, the ABG and people of Bougainville are set to have a 72.9% ownership stake in BCL.

As a result, the ABG and BCL have agreed on terms for a deed of settlement that would result in BCL ending the judicial review proceedings once the parties have delivered on a series of undertakings.

These include BCL contributing funds to assist Panguna reburials and reactivating the Bougainville Copper Foundation education scholarships program.

For its part, the ABG has agreed, consistent with the Bougainville Mining Act 2015, to reconsider BCL’s EL01 extension application with a view to extending the exploration licence for five years.

“It must be stressed that this would NOT be a mining licence; the issuance of which is subject to a separate process. BCL has agreed to file a notice with the court for the discontinuance of the Judicial Review,” said Toroama.

An extension of EL01 will allow BCL to continue its program of community support and work cooperatively with the ABG, landowners and the broader community to achieve mutual goals.

An abandoned bridge near the once busy mining area of Panguna.

Any future redevelopment of Panguna under a mining licence will inevitably require the involvement of many project partners. The ABG will continue to progress dialogue with landowners and important stakeholders in preparation for the eventual granting of a mining licence in the near future.

In the meantime, required feasibility related activities must be progressed under an exploration licence; these activities will take years to complete before the project sees actual mining development stage.

“Panguna is also a Bougainville-wide agenda given its relationship with the Bougainville Crisis. This fact, coupled with evidence of strong backing across Bougainville from prior consultative forums undertaken by the ABG in North, Central and South Bougainville supports my decision to pursue this path as President,” President Toroama said.

Keep Reading

Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Semoso Elected

By Inside PNG 31/10/2023

The Autonomous Bougainville Region has voted in their first woman representative into the National Parliament.

Pangu candidate, Francesca Semoso, has been declared member elect for the North Bougainville Open seat after passing the absolute majority.

Semoso collected 14,851 votes after the 15th exclusion round passing the absolute majority of 14,164 votes.

Bougainville President Ismael Toroama was among the first leaders to congratulate Semoso. He highlighted that Semoso is not new to tthe political environment in Bougainville.

“The Hon. Francesca Semoso is a strong advocate of social issues, and progressive development. And an even stauncher advocate of Bougainville’s desire for political independence from Papua New Guinea. She will champion Bougainville’s Independence aspirations on the floor of the National Parliament to the best of her ability,” said Toroama.

The North- Bougainville Open seat was left vacant following the death of former member, William Nakin last July.

Toroama said for more than a year the people of North Bougainville were deprived of the right of representation in the National Parliament.

“I am glad that the people of North Bougainville finally have a National Member of Parliament, who will represent North Bougainville in the 11th National Parliament of Papua New Guinea,” Toroama said.

Semoso was one of the four female candidates who contested the seat. She becomes the third women elected into the 11th Parliament.

Keep Reading

Autonomous Region of Bougainville

North Bougainville By-Elections

By Inside PNG 24/10/2023

Counting for the North Bougainville by-election is into the quality checks now after the completion of primary counts.

This follows a temporary suspension after concerns that transparent counting was not done right.

Results after progressive count number eight are as follows for the top five candidates,

Lauta Atoi -477
Francesca Semoso – 320
Noel Sarei -113
Jeffrey Magum- 67
Martin Takali -17

Counting is down in Buka. At least four women are in this race.

The by-election of the North Bougainville Seat follows the passing of former member William Nakin in July 2022.

Since the formation of the 11th National Parliament, the people of North Bougainville has been without a representative on the floor of National Parliament.

Courtesy: NBC Buka

Keep Reading

Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Identifying Marine Boundaries

By Inside PNG 23/10/2023

Teams conducting the Coastal Water Survey in Bougainville have been deployed to all three districts in the Region.

The survey is vital as it will allow the transfer of fisheries powers from the National Fisheries Department, to the Autonomous Bougainville Government and will be carried out within three nautical miles in Bougainville.

This move is considered a significant progress towards Bougainville’s political aspirations, especially in defining territorial sovereignty and rights through the reference coordinates for baseline, internal waters and coastal waters.

It is being facilitated through the ABG Department of Primary Industries & Marine Resources, the National Fisheries Authority, the National Department of Justice and Attorney General, the National Maritime Safety Authority and the Geoscience Energy & Maritime (GEM) Division of Pacific Community (SPC).

The findings of this survey will help Bougainville in mapping its coastal hazards or disasters such as tsunamis in coastal communities.

The Coastal Waters Survey is aligned with the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for formalizing maritime boundaries. By aligning with UNCLOS, this enhances Bougainville’s standing on the international stage.

Being a martime region, the ABG believes this survey will enhance maritime services, regulate shipping, and boost economic development

An additial bonus the survey gives the maritime benefits, is that the Coastal Water Survey adds value for future land demarcation, paving way for development, including road infrastructure projects

Coastal Water Survey | Identifying Marine Boundaries | Inside PNG News

Keep Reading

Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Fresh Water Plans for Bougainville Atolls

By Inside PNG 14/10/2023

People from the Atolls in Bougainville will have access to electricity supply and water purifying projects set to commence in the coming weeks.

Through the 2023 High Impact Projects coordinated by Bougainville President, Ismael Toroama, locals on the Bougainville atolls will be recipients of five new Solar Mini Grids and Desalination Plants.

The project that costs K9.5 million will be built on Petats, Fead, Mortlock and Tasmas Islands and was awarded to local contractor DNF Engineering.

President Toroama said that the project is designed to provide people with the basic necessities of life and improve their livelihood within their communities.

“The rest of Bougainville takes for granted our ease of access to clean and safe drinking water. On the atolls it is a precious resource that they conserve and use wisely,” President Toroama said.

“Access to clean and safe drinking water is a universal right that I want our people in the Atolls to have. I urge our people in the Atolls to take ownership of this important development and use it to empower our communities,” President Toroama said.

President Toroama said that clean energy is the way to go with energy generation and the plants will not cause any harm to the environment and marine life in atolls.

The Mini Solar Grid and Desalination Plants will be constructed on communal areas, such as churches and schools, to enable greater community access by the people.

The Office of the President will also be conducting a feasibility study on the possible construction of a larger plant for Buin, Buka and Arawa Towns in the near future.

Recent: https://insidepng.com/coastal-waters-survey/

Keep Reading