AROB wants independence

Posted on The National

THE people of Bougainville have voted overwhelmingly – 97.7 per cent of the total vote cast – for independence from PNG, but will have to wait for the national parliament to ratify their political future.

The referendum, a requirement of the Bougainville Peace Agreement signed in 2001, was hailed a success and credible.
Prime Minister James Marape said: “I want to assure the people of Bougainville and all Papua New Guineans that the Government has heard your voice.”
Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) President Dr John Momis said: “It is successful in my view. It has been a peaceful outcome. This has set a good standard for us to follow in what we do in future.”
New Ireland Governor and former prime minister Sir Julius Chan said: “If they choose to be independent, let them have that. It doesn’t mean they are leaving us. It is better to stand on your own feet than to constantly wait for handouts from Waigani.”
Bougainvile Affairs Minister Sir Puka Temu however clarified that the referendum was “non-binding”.
He said the next step was the consultation process, which had no time frame, between the Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government.
“The consultation – I don’t know how long it will take – will determine Bougainvile’s economical status, movement and residential status of Bougainvilleans in Papua New Guinea and other political, economical and social issues that will affect Bougainvilleans,” he said.

Bougainville Referendum Commissioners (back from left), Dr Thomas Webster, Patrick Nisira, Ruby Mirinka, Robert Igara, Chairman Bertie Ahern and George Manu (seated) signing off the counting results in Buka, North Bougainville yesterday. – Picture supplied

“Even if over 80 per cent of the (voters wanted) independence, it will not be ratified by Parliament (immediately). There is still a long process to go.
“The outcome of the consultation will come to Parliament for ratification to determine the final political future”.
He said it was a requirement in the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
Meanwhile, Bougainville Referendum Commission chairman Bertie Ahern is happy with the outcome, and how the whole process was conducted.
He described it as “something very special”.
“This electoral process, and the way it has been conducted, has captured the imagination of the world,” he said.
“The singing, the dancing, the celebration. There have been tears of joy and tears of raw emotion. People have waited a long time.
“We have heard many say that this referendum has reached across old divides, old conflicts and old wounds, and brought Bougainville together. As a long time-peace builder, this really is music to my ears.”
During his many trips around Bougainville, he always reminded the people that peace “really is a process”.
“It is not a word. It is not an end point. It is not the final whistle in a game,” he said.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/arob-wants-independence/

PM Marape welcomes Japanese investment in Petroleum sector

By Malum Nalu blog

Prime Minister James Marape says Papua New Guinea welcomes any investments in the petroleum sector.
He said this during a meeting with representatives of Japanese investor, LNG Japan Corporation, in Port Moresby last week.
The LNG Japan delegation was led by President and CEO Hiroshi Kawahara (pictured above with Prime Minister Marape).

LNG Japan is studying feasibility of potential LNG-to-power projects in PNG, leveraging its long experiences in the LNG industry, including a small-scale domestic LNG sea transportation project in Indonesia.
It is also looking at producing methanol as a raw material for plywood manufacture, hence, contributing to downstream processing of logs.
National Planning Minister Sam Basil (who is responsible for Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd), Commerce and Industry Minister William Duma, and KPHL Managing-Director Wapu Sonk also attended the meeting.
“I will give 100 per cent support if you show me that you can create employment,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“I don’t mind giving you a tax-holiday, if you can create employment for our citizens.”
Prime Minister Marape welcomed LNG Japan Corporation plans to operate in Kikori, Gulf, where a Special Economic Zone is planned to be built.
“We want to create cheap electricity for the whole country over the next 10 years,” he said.
“This is why we are pushing for a minimum 10 per cent of any gas found in the future.
“Kumul Petroleum will pick up this 10 per cent and use it.
“We will want to create by-products from this gas, but first and foremost, is cheap electricity.”
Prime Minister Marape told Sonk to continue discussions with LNG Japan Corporation and keep Ministers Basil and Duma in the loop
LNG Japan Corporation, established in 2001, is a 50-50 Venture between two leading Japanese trading companies, Sojitz Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation.
LNG Japan, from the days of its predecessor, has over 40 years of experience in upstream development, financing, marketing, trading and shipping in the global LNG Industry.
LNG Japan and Kumul Petroleum entered into a joint venture agreement on June 7, 2017 (amended on August 2, 2018) to set up the unincorporated joint venture for marketing of spot and short-term cargoes from PNG LNG.
The company, together with JX Nippon Oil and Gas Exploration Corporation and Marubeni Corporation (Japanese consortium) and Kumul Petroleum entered into a memorandum-of-understanding on August 30, 2018, to jointly pursue any opportunities to participate in the Papua LNG Project, as equity participants and financiers.
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Go to this link for more: https://malumnalu.blogspot.com/2019/12/pm-marape-welcomes-japanese-investment.html