BG okays multi-billion mordern city project

THE Autonomous Bougainville Government’s Executive Council has approved a multi-billion kina proposal to transform its gateway to mainland Bougainville-Kokopau- into a high tech-metropolitan area. 
The project is estimated at K1.2 billion and will be a sophisticated large urban area with a variety of modern city buildings including a trade centre, an overhead bridge linking Kokopau and Buka Island, a sports complex, a shopping mall, a six lane road and many more fountains and gardens and solar-panel thatched residential areas.
Thomas Rabans, executive of the Bougainville Business Council, said last night this project will be funded by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce through the Chinese Government and that they were in full support of it.
The Business Council and the Bougainville Administration also advised the paper that ABG President John Momis and his executive council members are now in negotiations with the Chinese Government and should be expected to take the proposal to the next level for approval for the funding from the sponsors of the project so the project should start in two years time.
“Kokopau will be highly transformed and this is exactly what we wanted,” Mr Rabanz said.
“We are in total support of the concept because it will benefit everybody on Bougainville. You see, from the business community’s point of view, this project was initiated by the Chinese, no, it is wrong, it’s not a Chinese project, and we ideally and initially wanted this to happen to Kokopau.
“Politically speaking, they don’t want it built in Buka, they want it built in Arawa or Buin but we are saying, now this is an ideal project for Kokopau and we the business houses are fully supportive and behind this because it will be the best model for the Pacific,” he said.
“We also have wholesaling agenda....ABG will partner with China to supply goods throughout Bougainville, PNG and the South Pacific, we will get into downstream processing.”
He said the ABG was in talks with the Chinese Government who has agreed to help fund the industrial town which will include an overhead bridge linking Buka town and Kokopau across the Buka passage. 
The change at Kokopau will look somewhat like Abu Dhabi or Singapore - and it will cost K1.2 billion.