BACRA kicks off operations with new Chief Compliance Officer appointment
The Bougainville Agriculture Commodities Regulation Authority (BACRA) will now be operationalized following the appointment of its Chief Compliance Officer this week.
Dr James Butubu, a renowned Bougainvillean agricultural scientist with extensive industry experience and research work in the agricultural commodity production sector especially cocoa, has been appointed as the Chief Compliance Officer. He is currently the team leader overseeing the operations of the BACRA lab in Buka.
The role of the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) is critical in enforcing the Bougainville Agriculture Commodities Regulatory Authority Act 2020 and its related regulations, including a comprehensive compliance program that addresses areas such as export regulations, trade restrictions and quality standards.
The COO will also be responsible for monitoring and assessing BACRA’s compliance with other applicable laws and regulations in the agricultural commodity export sector, and identifying and addressing any potential compliance issues or gaps that may exists.
This involves conducting regular audits, risk assessments and training sessions for BACRA staff members. Additionally, the CCO will serve as a liaison between BACRA and other regulatory authorities, and oversee any compliance-related complaints, investigations or enforcement actions on behalf of BACRA.
In this interim period, BACRA will be under the ABG Department of Primary Industry, however it will progress towards being a stand-alone authority in the near future. Following the appointment of the Chief Compliance Officer for BACRA, the next round of recruitment will be for agricultural commodity industry experts and technical staff to undertake key roles in extension, research, compliance, standards and quality assurance work.
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