The Vice President of Bougainville has slammed the Papua New Guinea Communications Minister for brokering a rogue deal with landowners and a Chinese company looking at reopening the Panguna mine.
Patrick Nisira says the Chinese company has nothing to do with the mine and Communications Minister Jimmy Miringtoro has done nothing to help the local people.
Last week landowners led by Lawrence Daveona and Mr Miringtoro signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijing Aerospace Great Wall Mineral Investment.
Some officials have suggested some members of the autonomous parliament also signed the document.
But Mr Nisira says that the deal is no threat, and the government will persevere in consulting with all parties before the mine is reopened.
"Miringtoro never contributed to any peace building effort in Panguna he should have consulted the AGB because we've invested so much money so much time into trying to unite the people and when things are going right somebody like Miringtoro comes in to destabilise and disunite our people, that's the last thing we would want to see on Bougainville."
