|
PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center BOUGAINVILLE PRESIDENT TOOK $8,000 COMPANY GIFT By Romulus Masiu PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, May 7, 2008) - Autonomous Bougainville Government President Joseph Kabui admitted to taking money from a foreign company, amidst mounting calls for him to resign. The Bougainville Business Association (BBA) executive Thomas Rabanz yesterday alleged that three candidates, now cabinet ministers in the Autonomous Bougainville Government, received substantial amounts of money from the Canadian exploration company Invincible Resource Corporation during the ABG elections in 2005. Mr. Rabanz claimed that Kabui and two others received PGK20,000 [US$8,000] each from the company. Rabanz made the claims while joining others in criticizing the decision by President Kabui and his Cabinet to establish a new exploration company in the region, called the Bougainville Resource Development Corporation (BRDC). The decision was made in Arawa, Central Bougainville, last month with the approval of the Bougainville Executive Council, with the Invincible Resource Corporation having a large stake in BRDC and the ABG holding a minority share. Kabui admitted he accepted PGK20,000 from Invincible Resources Corporation during the ABG elections but he said this money was for his party, the Bougainville People’s Congress (BPC). Kabui said the PGK20,000 was to help BPC party with the elections and this was declared to the Ombudsman Commission. He said no strings were attached to the PGK20,000 and the only motive was to get Bougainville up and running. "No one can be bind to mortgage the resources of Bougainville like some people are claiming," Kabui said. The National: www.thenational.com.pg/ |
||
| Go back to Pacific Islands Report: Graphics or Text Only. |
 |
|
