News and Public Notices

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present my ministerial statement to this Honorable House on the important socio-economic and political developments that are currently happening in Bougainville.

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago I led a delegation of Members from this Honorable House to attend a session of the National Parliament in Port Moresby. The purpose of the visit was to witness the Minister for Bougainville Affairs the Honorable Manasseh Makiba present his first Ministerial Statement in parliament. The statement by the Minister was complemented by a subsequent statement by the Honorable Prime Minister, James Marape. The two statements outlined the joint progress made by the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the Government of Papua New Guinea on the post referendum processes that will lead up to the Ratification of the 2019 Bougainville Referendum results later this year.

Mr. Speaker, the profound thing about the two statements by the Prime Minister and the Minister was the National Government finally presenting its explicit position on Bougainville’s political future. The statements also contrast much of our government’s own views on the progress of the post referendum processes particularly the Ratification. As we are all aware, we have convened three Joint Post Referendum Consultations with the Government of Papua New Guinea. The consultations yielded several significant key outcomes that serve as the roadmap for both governments to act in accordance with. At each consultation our government and the Government of PNG agreed under the:

1. Kokopo Consultation (First Consultations) acknowledgement of 97.7 percent of Bougainvilleans voting for Independence during the 2019 Referendum Results.
2. Wabag Consultations (Second Consultations) creation of the political timeline for Bougainville. 2023 is the year for the Ratification and the final political settlement for Bougainville to be agreed upon not before 2025 and no later than 2027. 
3. Port Moresby Consultations (Third Consultations) Signing of the Era Kone Covenant. The signing of the Era Kone Covenant concluded the consultations process and provides for a mechanism for the referendum results to be tabled in the National Parliament later this year with a joint report on the three consultations.

Mr. Speaker a general view shared by this government is that the two statements are not consistent with the outcomes of the Joint Consultations.

Mr. Speaker, the Attorney General will give a more detailed dissection of the two statements but before he does so I will briefly comment on them. It is without a doubt that the position of the Government of PNG is steeped in protecting the state of union of Papua New Guinea and oppose any form of secession from the rest of the country. However, Bougainville is the only region in the country that has been granted the privilege to exercising our right to self- determination as stipulated in the Constitution of Papua New Guinea.

Mr. Speaker, Honorable Members, we are finally at a stage where the line has been drawn and each side has taken their position. Our people and our government have stated our call for independence from the rest of the country whilst the Government of Papua New Guinea has now made it clear that it is not willing to let us go. We have reached a point where no easy compromise can resolve our differences in opinion on Bougainville’s ultimate political future. This is an expected outcome that we knew we would face; all it took was time before we reached the threshold of the day of reckoning for government and people of Bougainville.

Mr. Speaker, there are two key elements of this divergence, and these are the procedural matters during the ratification and the supremacy of the National Parliament versus the National Constitution of PNG in deciding the outcome of the ratification. The Joint Technical Teams have reached a stalemate over these issues, and this has caused the slow progress in implementing the requirements of the Era Kone Covenant.

Mr. Speaker, considering these challenges, my government remains committed to fulfilling the provisions of Bougainville Peace Agreement as spelled out in s276 of part XIV of PNG National Constitution, the Wabag Road Map, and Era Kone Covenant. Every Member of this Honorable House is committed to ensuring that s342 of the Constitution is implemented to its fullest in the spirit of peace. Our argument is based on implementing every legal framework that has been a part of the Bougainville Peace Process since the signing of the cease fire in 1997. We have never deviated from the established process that require joint implementation, and we have always remained consistent in fulfilling the terms of the legal framework that governs the Bougainville Process.

Mr. Speaker, the National Government is concerned about protecting the sovereignty of Papua New Guinea and arguing over the supremacy of the PNG Constitution versus the National Parliament. These have made the National Government lose sight of the true context of the Bougainville process, its history and its actual intent. We should be implementing the provisions of the agreements that both governments signed and not waste time heckling over the fine print.

Mr. Speaker, our attending the National Parliament also gave me an opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister and discuss several pressing issues. The Prime Minister and I discussed important matters such as the Restoration and Development Grant, the Prime Minister’s annual K100 million commitment to Bougainville and the Bougainville Copper Limited Shares. We also agreed in principle to increase the tax remittance from the Internal Revenue Commission from 70 percent to 80 percent. Preparations are underway by our respective technical teams to convene the Joint Supervisory Body Meeting to address these matters.

Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of this year I highlighted several important development projects that my government would be introducing this year. The first one is the sealing of the final stretch of the northern end of the Buka Ring Road. The contract was awarded to a local company, Jomik Earthmoving Limited, by the Bougainville Executive Council amidst a lot of controversy from parties within Bougainville and even at the national level. Nevertheless, the executive government remained firm in our decision. Our calls for independence will be rendered moot if we do not entrust our own people with the opportunities to develop Bougainville and take ownership of the process. I am a firm believer in promoting homegrown talent, and this is something that my government will continue to do to support our local businesses.

Several other important infrastructure development programs that are soon to be rolled out are;

• Arawa Hospital Upgrade (Funding has already been made available through our Health Department)
• The Installation of Mini Solor Power Grids and Desalination Plants for the Atolls (Minister for Technical Services and Minister for Finance must ensure the procurement process begins in the first week of July without any more delays).
• Buin Hospital   Upgrade   and   Buin   Teacher’s   College   to   commence development phase in the latter half of the year.
• Upgrade of feeder roads in cacao intensive areas throughout the region.
• Work on Kuveria Correctional Facility is still progressing with the Department of Law and Justice in conjunction with the Department of Lands and Physical Planning.
• Continued upgrade of the Kukul to Kohiso Road to complete the Buka Ring Road.

Mr. Speaker I am proud to report that the government has recently signed the shareholder agreement for Bougainville Refinery Limited. Under this arrangement the Investor owns 60 percent while the Autonomous Bougainville Government owns 40 percent of the overall shareholding. From the government’s 40 percent stake, 10 percent will be set aside to fund community projects as part of independence readiness in our constituencies through a special trust account that can only be accessed jointly by BRL and the government. The other 10 percent will go towards setting up a sovereign wealth fund for Bougainville while the remaining 20 percent will go directly into our Internal revenue.

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the Members of this Honorable House that the shareholders agreement is a matter of public record. Contrary to what some may assume, there are no secret shares that are being held in trust by private individuals or leaders for that matter. The Executive Government has acted in accordance with our laws to set up the refinery. We are 95 percent away from production; the equipment has already been set up, training of local technical staff has begun, and production should be underway before the end of this year.

Mr. Speaker it is my vision for every ounce of gold that is mined on Bougainville from small scale miners to large scale operations to be refined on Bougainville before it is sold in international markets. Downstream processing of all raw materials from the extractive industry including the agricultural industry should be processed on Bougainville instead of exporting our raw gold, cacao, vanilla, and copra overseas. We must begin a new era of sustainably developing and harnessing the potential of our resources to generate revenue that will directly impact and transform the lives of our people.

Mr Speaker, upon my inauguration as President, I announced the six-point strategy for Bougainville towards independence and beyond. The six-point strategy evolved out of a careful analysis of Bougainville’s political and development experience as a specific polity over the last 50 years since PNG gained self-government and under the North Solomons Provincial Government. Of particular significance is current our experience under the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and the clear expression for Bougainville sovereignty through the 2019 Referendum Vote of 97.7% for independence.

Mr Speaker, the question that we need to ask ourselves is “What kind of society do we want an independent Bougainville to look like and how should we go about creating the kind of society we envisage?”. This is the question that I had in mind when I stated, under the six-point strategy, a desire for the ABG to get into the practice of long-term visioning and planning so that we can start laying the foundations of a future Bougainville society. Our future must not be left to chance and we must strive to be deliberate in our intents.

Mr Speaker, I am pleased to announce on this floor that Bougainville’s Long- Term Vision and the first Medium-Term Development Plan are ready. Beyond attaining political independence, Bougainville’s Long-Term Vision 2052 is that “By 2052, Bougainville will be a high income, educated, healthy, peaceful” Christian nation.

Much work is required in pursuing the Vision through the MTDPs. Both documents are significant as they are truly homegrown and is a testament of the kind of “thinking” we can do ourselves. Both these planning documents are by no means 100% perfect as both are living documents that will be refined through systematic analysis of practice.

Mr. Speaker, before I conclude I would like to thank each and everyone of the Members of this House for your continued prayers, support and commitment to our people and the government. I know that we may have our differences on policy matters but our aspirations for an independent Bougainville is the motivation that guides us in serving the best interest of our people.