Atolls Constituency, the area that covers the sinking Carterets Islands and the Polynesian outliers of Tasman, Mortlock and Fead Islands, have indicated that they are ready to declare themselves ready for referendum in eight months’ time.
The constituency has 11 wards and a total of population of about 7,000 people.
Constituency Member and Vice President of ABG, Raymond Masono, was in the area last week holding referendum awareness and getting plans ready for the event.
“This is a bottom up approach. Every ward representative will assess and decide in a democratic way, that they are ready to partake in this crucial vote to decide our future,” Masono said.
Last week also, a technical team from ABG Parliamentary Services, headed by Acting Parliament Clerk, Edwin Kenoata, and officers from the ABG Referendum Directorate, had visited the 11 wards to assess the peace and security checklists.
The Technical Team visited all the 11 Wards in the Constituency, including the small islands of Iangain, Yasela, Iaosala, Han and Piul.
There are 9 checklists forms regarding issues relating to peace, security, reconciliation, weapons disposal, human rights, law and order, economic and socio factors and land tenureship that must be complied with if Constituencies are to declare themselves ready for 2019 Referendum.
Having some lessons learnt regarding law and order issues from the two initial constituencies – Bolave in South Bougainville and Hagogohe in North Bougainville – after being declared referendum ready, the Atolls Constituency will be the first to declare itself referendum ready, having fulfilled all the requirements of the newly introduced peace and security checklists.
(ABG Vice President, Raymond Masono, with orange cap, on the beach at Iangain Atoll at Carterets Islands. He was accompanied by Checklist Technical Team Officers from the ABG Parliamentary Services and the Referendum Directorate)