Bougainville: Killer Deal
After Bougainville's President died suddenly in June, the future of the island's huge mineral reserves is in doubt. A secret deal gives an Australian business a 70% share of the resources but does the deal still stand?
The deal between Joseph Kabui and Lindsay Semple's company, Invincible Resources, is causing confusion over the rights to un-mined copper and gold. Meanwhile, Bougainvilleans are outraged over the pact and are becoming angy. Locals claim Semple ripped them off, whilst contractors say they haven't been paid. One contractor said "it cost us a lot of money and also made us look stupid, which in this country is a big issue."
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