Ann: RECENT INTERVIEW/ARTICLE BY THE ABC, page-7

Hmmm

No doubt the ABG will be basking in the falling value of their main (possibly only marketable) asset. Kind of puts the whole ludicrous business into perspective. The National Government has long since done well out of their initial free carry 20% so probably isn't too worried; moreover they know that Bougainville will never be granted independence while all the disputation etc is going on. Of course the eight landowner groups who support BCL and the Customary Heads of the SML (who are reported to also support BCL) are all scratching their heads and wondering what the hell is going to happen next.  As demonstrated by the SMLOLA the development of the project can be hostage to any of the nine landowner groups - after all on the east coast there is a power line corridor, a transport/concentrate pipeline corridor (both about 30Km long) and the all important port (including power station location). On the west coast is the Jaba (water) pump station, tailings pipeline and a site for a tailings dam. Dealing with SMLOLA is only the start of what could be a lengthy and disputatious process for RTG (or anyone other than BCL) as I have said on this forum many times (and apologies to the people who are sick of hearing it). Of course the residents of Bougainville, denied so much since the mine closed 28 years ago, just have to sit and wait patiently while all this plays out ...