Autonomous Bougainville Government

The library is part of the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s (ABG) Education Infrastructure Project Rollout. It was funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) and project managed by Digicel PNG Foundation.

Built at a cost of K165,000, the library comes fully-kitted with desks, chairs, book shelves, air conditioning, connection to the main power grid as well as five desktop computers for electronic cataloguing and students’ use.

From January right through to September, landlords say they have not received any payment.

Spokesperson for the group of landlords, Clement Omi, said a letter of demand has already been handed over to the relevant authorities.

“It is with great concern that we are now making the call on the ABG to pay up outstanding rentals that they owe us,” Omi said. 

“Failure to do so will force us to move tenants out of the premises, more particularly the departments that are renting from us.”

First secretary to the ABG President’s office, Pajomile Minaka, relayed this after queried by Loop PNG as to why the ABG didn’t have an opposition within it.

He said the Autonomous Region of Bougainville was a special case because it is emerging from a crisis situation, thus it needs to be dealt with sensitively.

“Bougainville is still recovering from a crisis situation, however we hope to establish an opposition in the 4^th House,” said Minaka.

All these efforts will go towards developing Bougainville’s Strategic Development Plan.

This plan will be the blueprint for future development in priority areas that will be identified through the consultations.

Chief Secretary to the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Joseph Nobetau, says the consultations are important as they will capture the needs of the people and enable ABG to develop a strategic plan that promotes inclusiveness at all levels of the community.

The consultations in Buin have already begun, with Port Moresby to follow suit.

Joe Lera, the sitting MP, as well as Kapeatu Puaria and Jimmy Mose are the only three candidates from the 2012 elections to vie for the seat again.

Puaria finished fourth while Mose finished 11^th out of 13 candidates.

The runners up to Lera in 2012, Ishmael Toroama (2^nd) and Fidelis Semoso (3^rd), have not nominated to contest, as well as 10 others.

PNGRC Commissioner, Gari Baki is currently in Bougainville to undertake discussions as part of the ABG-New Zealand Community Policing Project and also to launch the election operations of the Bougainville Police Service.

The Commissioner met with ABG President John Momis to discuss important law and order issues on Bougainville.

President Momis raised the issue of police visibility in Bougainville as a deterrent to crime and what ways to further empower the Bougainville Police Service.

This project lays the foundation for greater economic activity in the region.  

The K8.6 million project was delivered as part of Australia’s long-running partnership with the Autonomous Bougainville Government to help maintain Bougainville’s road network. It complements the recent K4.7 million project to seal a number of town roads in Arawa. 

Nasira is also the Minister responsible for Referendum and Veterans Affairs.  

“Today we have achieved another milestone, signing today (last week) is a significant leap forward because it gives confident for people in Bougainville and the people of Papua New Guinea that the process is alive and well,” Nasira said.      

He made this comment after the signing of the Bougainville Referendum Commission who will oversee the preparation and conducting of the 2019 Referendum.  

A village elder from the Wisai area in the Konnou Constituency of South Bougainville, Joe Patuai told LOOP PNG that Bougainville has now got some reputable businesses and companies the government needs to help.

“With funding the government needs to really chip in and help our own companies to bid for tenders especially from the National Government,” Patuai said.

Opposition queries PM move on B’villle portfolio

http://www.looppng.com/content/opposition-queries-pm-move-b%E2%80%99villle-portfolio

The Opposition has queried the motive behind the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill giving himself the Bougainville Affairs Ministry in light of the looming vote on a referendum.

Tkatchenko promises lift for tourism