NEW DAWN ON BOUGAINVILLE

Bank packed

301211bank packed
By Aloysius Laukai

The Buka Bank since wednesday has been packed with cash running out.
Pictured are customers outside the only bank BSP BUKA

291211Liquor ban imposed in Bougainville

By New Dawn Media

BOUGAINVILLE Police Service has warned it will not hesitate to apprehend any owner of liquor outlets selling liquor on January 1.

BPS, in a public notice, stated that selling of liquor on January 1 and 2 which are public holidays will not be allowed.

It said this is to deter drunkards from disturbing the peace and bringing disharmony among local communities in the autonomous region.

BPS advised that for their own safety, alcohol consumers should drink in their yards rather than in public places.

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291211Strong currents pull PMV

By New Dawn Media

A public motor vehicle was dragged down the Iurun river at Tinputz district in North Bougainville after the vehicle with 13 people on board attempted to cross the river yesterday afternoon.

Reports from eyewitnesses said the Arawa based East Coast Express land cruiser was crossing the river when strong river current carried the vehicle with the passengers on board several meters downstream.

According to information received, all of the passengers managed to escape out the vehicle windows except for two infants on board, who were rescued by bystanders at the accident scene.

The eyewitnesses said the rescuers reprimanded the driver for ignoring telltale signs of strong current which is usual for the Iurun river after a night of heavy rain.

The driver is a veteran of the Arawa to Kokopau highway.

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291211ABG spends K100million state grant

By New Dawn Media

ABG leaders must consider development plans on a region wide scope rather than in terms of their own constituencies or districts says Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) finance, treasury and planning minister Albert Punghau.

He said using constituencies and districts as a criteria for allocating scarce development resources only results in small community projects that make very little or no impact on the lives of the people.

Punghau said this when presenting an outline of ABG’s plans to spend the first one hundred million kina of the national government’s special financing package of K500 million to ABG from 2012 to 2016.

He said the ABG had decided to use the four pillars of the Bougainville priorities for development 2011 – 2015 as the basis to distribute the first K100 million as follows;
• K8.5 million for peace and security,
• K16.5 million for economic development,
• K32.5 million for transport infrastructure,
• K19.5 million for human development and
• K8 million for good governance.

Punghau said the allocation under the five main expenditure programs amounted to K85 million with the remainder of K15 million allocated to fund projects in the constituencies, districts and Council of Elders areas.

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291211PEACE BRIDGES TO BOOST SMALL SCALE INDUSTRY

By New Dawn Media

Bougainville acting president Patrick Nisira has challenged smallholder cocoa and coconut farmers in Bougainville to support the ABG in its economic recovery by working hard to produce copra and cocoa and develop other small scale industries.

Nisira said this today in anticipation of the official opening of Iraka bridge in Central Bougainville tomorrow.

Iraka bridge is part of a K90 million government of Japan funded project to build fifteen bridges between North and Central Bougainville.

Nisira said these bridges would boost the Bougainville culture of doing business, market for selling their produce and developing Bougainvilleans to actively take part in peace building, reconciliation and harmony.

He urged that the local communities take the opportunity to start slowly and small and progress further in time to building their own business to generate income for their family.

Nisira also appealed to the communities living near these bridges to look after the bridges well as it is a vital link to all the people of Bougainville.

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291211IRAKA BRIDGE OPENS

By New Dawn Media

THE people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville thank the government of Japan and its people for supporting a K90 million impact project to build 15 bridges between North and Central Bougainville.

This was conveyed by Bougainville acting president Patrick Nisira today in anticipation of officially opening Iraka bridge at Central Bougainville tomorrow.

He said to negotiate this partnership project with the government of Japan and contractor to construct the bridges was not easy as Bougainville is regarded as a high risk Region.

He also thanked the contractor Kitano for the effort, hardship and commitment of facing a challenging task especially on security.

He assured that the people of Bougainville have great respect for the partnership in the bridge program and looked forward to future cordial relations and friendship with the government of Japan and its people who Nisira described as hardworking, respectable and sincere.

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291211IRAKA BRIDGE OPENS

By New Dawn Media

THE people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville thank the government of Japan and its people for supporting a K90 million impact project to build 15 bridges between North and Central Bougainville.

This was conveyed by Bougainville acting president Patrick Nisira today in anticipation of officially opening Iraka bridge at Central Bougainville tomorrow.

He said to negotiate this partnership project with the government of Japan and contractor to construct the bridges was not easy as Bougainville is regarded as a high risk Region.

He also thanked the contractor Kitano for the effort, hardship and commitment of facing a challenging task especially on security.

He assured that the people of Bougainville have great respect for the partnership in the bridge program and looked forward to future cordial relations and friendship with the government of Japan and its people who Nisira described as hardworking, respectable and sincere.

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281211COFFEE TESTED IN WISAI

By Tapo Tovilu

Coffee is currently being trilled in the mountain areas of Wisai in South Bougainville.

The plant, which is only grown in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, has been tested as part of a trail program run by the Coffee Growers Association in the Islands region.

Bougainville CGA representative Semion Pereka said that the trial program in Wisai is the first in South Bougainville and will be tested in other parts of the region.

He added that the climate and soil composite of the area in which it is been planted is similar to that of the parts of the Highlands region where coffee thrives.

Mr Pereka said that only a small area is been cleared in preparation for the trail plant with the coffee plants still yet in nursery.

He said that if the coffee is successful in Wisai, other parts will also be tested to see if the plant can be grown successfully.

The project started in November and the association is hopeful that the outcome of the trail will be promising.

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281211House passes K264 million budget

By New Dawn Media

THE Bougainville House of Representatives passed a record Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) 2012 budget of K264, 651, 600 yesterday.

The 2012 outlay represents an increase of 45.7 percent or K83 million over this year’s ABG budget of K176million.

In highlighting the 2012 budget, ABG Finance, Treasury and Planning minister Albert Punghau said it represents a turning point in the progress of the ABG.

“The need for reconciliation, weapons disposal and improved law and order continues to be a major focus for the ABG.

“Improving the economy and the livelihoods of the people of Bougainville in preparing for the referendum continues to be a key priority, this has been reflected in the framing of the 2012 ABG budget,” said Punghau.

Of the 2012 appropriation: 68.1 percent of the ABG 2012 budget will be funded from the national government grants totaling K180, 355, 700.

Contribution from donor partners amounts to K37 million and ABG internal revenue accounts for K46, 906, 900 or 17.7 percent of the total revenue of 2012.

“The government still relies almost exclusively on the national government and donor partners to finance its annual budget but our revenue base is gradually expanding and in real terms, the government is expected to raise more internally than in previous years,” said Punghau.

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281211PEA cautions

By New Dawn Media:

PUBLIC Employees Association (PEA) Bougainville executives have urged union members to be critical of any information received from sources claiming they are acting on behalf of PEA.

PEA Bougainville president Herbert Kimai said there is currently a lot of misinformation circulating about the date of payment of risk allowances for public servants in Bougainville.

He said many union members from as far as Buin in South Bougainville are stranded in Buka town because of poor information received from non PEA sources.

He said PEA would only pass any authorized information through the district manager’s office for dissemination to union members in their respective districts.

Kimai added this is to ensure information channeled through the district managers is safe and disseminated through only one source.

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