Bougainville President, John Momis, has gone on Radio Australia to declare his support for plans by the Chinese to build a huge Special Economic Zone on Papua New Guinea's Bougainville island.


Special Economic Zones are fenced enclaves where foreign businesses are given special incentives including tax free status to set up manufacturing industries. SEZs have been heavily criticized in other country's for promoting low wages, poor health and safety standards and environmental damage.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank group, is drafting laws in Papua New Guinea to create Special Economic Zones - tax free enclaves where foreign corporations will receive special incentives to set up factories - but the World Bank's own Independent Evaluation Group (IEG), its internal watchdog, has published an evaluation which finds the IFC is failing in its mission to assist vulnerable communities and alleviate poverty through its projects and investments. 

Local leaders representing communities around the site of the proposed Pacific Marine Industrial Zone in Madang Province have issued a signed declaration of their opposition to the project. The PMIZ will be Papua New Guinea's first Special Economic Zone under laws being drafted by the World Bank.