South Bougainville

Inspector John Popui, Commander of Buin Police Station, stressed the importance of adhering to traffic rules, particularly for vehicle owners and drivers.

Police checks have been implemented as part of the operation, leading to a full Buin police lockup unable to accommodate more lawbreakers.

Inspector Popui urgently called on vehicle owners to verify the registration and roadworthiness of their vehicles before hitting the public roads.

As counting extends to Buin, a newcomer, Robert Kebau is closely trailing with only 200 votes remaining.

Key candidate standings:

Michael Laita: 351 votes

Christopher Roniel: 247 votes

Greg Lua: 665 votes

Augustine Wane: 349 votes

Sylvester Aube: 209 votes

John Kinani: 349 votes

Peter Naguo: 214 votes

Simon Tohui Ansirua: 666 votes

Martin Karepa Mongkei: 244 votes

Sylvester Pulau: 431 votes

Maury Piriri: 413 votes

Thomas Pabakumi: 549 votes

Philip Kuhena (leading): 1,741 votes

MP Tsiamalili Jnr flew in from Rabaul, and then headed to Torokina to assess the situation and offer aid to those affected.

The eruption had a devastating impact on villages along the South and East coast, with Wakunai on the West side also being affected. Tsiamalili Junior, representing the National Government on behalf of Prime Minister James Marape and Deputy Prime Minister Hon John Rosso, as well as South and Central MPs, Timothy Masiu and Simon Domarinu, came to provide comfort and leadership to the people of Torokina.

Minister Mirisim visited the region of Bougainville on Monday (28th February 2022) to witness the re-opening of the Buin airstrip, which has been closed for the last 25 years after the 1997 Bougainville Crisis. There, he also presented the cheque on behalf of Prime Minister James Marape.

The K1 million national government funding, under the freight subsidy scheme, will go towards subsidising the freight cost of the cocoa farmers in Buin.

However, Member for South Bougainville, Timothy Masiu says that the building is too small to accommodate for all relevant agencies and needs upgrading.

“The Kangu Border Processing post must be upgraded. There is only a little house there, so I am asking the Government through the Customs Office to upgrade the border processing post. Currently what we have is too small to house other agencies like NAQIA, who have a role to look after our border. We need a bigger office,” he said.

There to witness the opening was Member for South Bougainville, Timothy Masiu, Minister for Immigration & Border Security Westly Nukundj and Australian High Commissioner, Johnathan Philp.

The opening of South Bougainville’s Buin International Immigration office now recognized as a significant event and since PNG received its independence in 1975, this is the first time in history that an immigration office has been set up in Buin.

This was made possible by the Constituency Member and ABG Minister for Police and Correctional Services, Emmanuel-Carlos Kaetavara.

Minister Kaetavara is also the gazetted portfolio Minister responsible for the Bana Special Economic Zone.

He said this project is among the top five high impact projects of the Toroama-Nisira Government.

This is an initiative of the Siwai people, supported by the South Bougainville District Development Authority, in partnership with the National Cultural Commission (NCC).

NCC Executive Director Steven Kilanda, said it is important that people realize that culture is one of the most important assets in this country.

Kilanda congratulated Timothy Masiu, Member for South Bougainville and Minister for Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), for initiating this important event. He ensured that the NCC is ready to help develop art and culture in South Bougainville.

President Ishmael Toroama, Vice President Patrick Nisira and Women’s representative for South Bougainville, Therese Kaetavara, will take care of government for a period of two weeks.

The House of Representatives chamber was filled with members-elect and key development partners who witnessed the MPs’ declarations of loyalty to Bougainville, to PNG and to the office they hold.

After the ceremony, President Toroama announced his caretaker government in accordance with Section 82 of the Bougainville Constitution.

The K100,000 is part of a K1.5 million funding assistance to the response team approved by the South Bougainville District Development Authority Board at its recent meeting in Buin.

Priority programs and activities already underway include awareness, which also entails sensitisation and training of health workers and stakeholders as well as surveillance and control of movement along the PNG-Solomon Islands border.