http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201201/s3418938.htm
PNG cabinet to make historic visit to Bougainville next month
Updated January 30, 2012 17:47:12
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, has promised to hold a meeting of his National Executive Council on the mainland of Bougainville, next month.
It will be the first time since since the secessionist war in the late 1980's and 1990's that PNG's cabinet will have met on the island.
Despite an earlier cancellation, expectations are high.
Presenter: Jemima Garrett
Speaker: President John Momis of Bougainville
Listen:
Windows Media
GARRETT: It is ten years since the PNG government signed the Bougainville Peace Agreement - that agreement brought an end a bloody secessionist war that had been sparked by landowner ill-feeling about the giant Rio-Tinto-owned Panguna copper mine.
The Peace Agreement the led to the formation of the Bougainville government and included financial guarantees from Port Moresby in the lead-up to a referendum on independence sometime between 2015 and 2020.
John Momis, President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, says the visit of the National Executive Council to Bougainville's burnt-out mainland capital, Arawa is very significant.
MOMIS: The whole ABG leadership and the people will be welcoming them with open arms, especially a visit to Arawa and mine because we have totally inadequate funding to deal with huge huge, huge responsibilities of rebuilding Arawa. And it would be good for the government to experience for themselves the sorts of difficulties that the ABG has been subjected to by the people.
GARRETT: Will Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, or any of his Executive Council be visiting the Panguna mine site?
MOMIS: I think so - it would be very good for them to see.
GARRETT: And you are not expecting any trouble with them getting access to the mine site?
MOMIS: No, absolutely not! No! No problem!
GARRETT: So is that a sign of just how far the peace process has now gone?
MOMIS: Yes, definitely. The Peace Process has gone a long way but to make it stick we have to start spending some money where it matters. And that is empowering people at the grassroots, finding employment or finding social or economic activities that people can be involved in. Bougainvilleans in general, are very hard working people to give you an idea of how they are not lazy, before the crisis Bougainville was the biggest producer of cocoa and we are still the biggest producer of cocoa, with all the expatriate plantations closed down.
GARRETT: President Momis sees developing Bougainville's economic self-reliance as a crucial factor in offering his people a real choice when they vote in the referendum on independence.
But obtaining funds to do that has been difficult.
The Bougainville Peace Agreement provides for 15 million Kina a year from the PNG for the Bougainville government to spend how it sees fit.
But that has been slow to arrive.
Recently, Bougainville agreed to accept 100 million kina a year instead of the peace process money.
President Momis says he hopes the PNG money comes without strings attached.
MOMIS: We hope that now the government is not giving the K15 million they are going to allow us discretion to extend the K100 million, even if we have to consult with them.
GARRETT: Bougainville has had trouble getting its funding out of the PNG government and, in fact, Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, has said he doesn't think the Autonomous Bougainville Government has the ability to spend the 100 million kina a year, wisely. Does that mean that he is thinking of going back on the funds?
MOMIS: I hope not! If he does he'll have a lot of problems!
GARRETT: When the National Executive Council has visited other provinces it has come with its cheque book at the ready.
Bougainville's President is hoping the visit to Arawa will produce a new spirit of co-operation. -----------
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