Aloysius Laukai | New Dawn
Regional member for Bougainville, Chief Joe Lera wants the 300 thousand people of Bougainville to have money in their pockets first before any mining is started on Bougainville.
He said that although understands the need to raise funds for the Autonomous Bougainville Government, he still thinks Bougainville needs to develop other ways of raising these funds.
Mr. Lera made these remarks during his awareness campaigns in South and Central Bougainville last weekend.
He said if mining is started only the educated and trained operators will find jobs whilst Bougainvillean youths will totally miss out.
The Regional member said however if Agricultural projects are encouraged everybody no matter if they are educated or not will have employment opportunities.
He said in his first ONE HUNDRED DAYS in office he wants to see some technical schools established on Bougainville.
Mr. Lera will still cover the rest of Bougainville including the Atolls with his awareness campaigns before the end of this year.
Papua New Guinea Mine Watch 
I hope Mr Lera is taken seriously. He is DEAD right. Engage in an economic avenue where it promotes inclusivity NOT exclusivity. There are still factions, if not with arms, but with ‘tough views’ that are just shy of taking up arms again. I hope the PNG Govt, ARoB Govt and Investors take heed of this. Forget about any Mining talk PERIOD. What should be encouraged now is agriculture, true peace and true restoration. Until those are achieved the fragmentation and woes of the past years are potentially inevitable.
joshua
I agree
Bougainviile has to get back to a real and balanced society.
The mining can ONLY come later when the ground work for a balanced society is laid.