MP worried about conflict of interest in copper

By Aloysius Laukai

The Minister for Natural Resources, Dr Benedict Pisi, yesterday denied any Cabinet involvement in the review of the Bougainville Copper Agreement.

He was responding to questions by the former Vice President and Member for Mahari, John Tabinaman, who wanted to know who was reviewing the Bougainville Copper Agreement and who authorised the involvement of outside personnel to work on the agreement.

Mr Tabinaman was very critical of these people who he said were operating in their own interests in the Bougainville Copper Agreement.

Dr Pisi said that if the ABG was involved it would include all the stakeholders, landowners, the ABG and off course the people of Bougainville.

On the question of whether the Cabinet supports the work of the Bougainville Resources Development Corporation, the Minister said that the BRDC was a government/private sector partnership and that it was up to the BRDC to prove to the people of Bougainville that it can deliver to them.