THE very important meeting between the National Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) starts today in Kokopo with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and President John Momis taking the lead. This is the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting where Prime Minister O’Neill and his team will meet with ABG President Momis and his team to iron out outstanding issues that were addressed last year. These issues include: draw down of powers and functions; weapons disposal program; K500 million from the National Government; mining and Panguna Mine; Public Service in Bougainville; review of the Autonomous Bougainville Arrangements; referendum and Independence; and other matters. Meanwhile, Prime Minister O’Neill arrived in Kokopo, East New Britain, to a rousing Tolai welcome yesterday afternoon, a day before the JSB meeting. Mr O’Neill was treated to a welcome fit for a chief at Tokua airport where three tubuans put on a spectacular performance for him. Tolai elders adorned him with a headdress and later presented the Prime Minister with rings of tabu or shell money. The event was significant as Mr O’Neill was recently initiated into the Tubuan society. As a member of the society, he has a significant role to play. The Prime Minister in turn presented shell money to the three tubuans. The three tubuans belong to Deputy Prime Minister, Leo Dion, ENB Governor Ereman ToBaining Jnr, and the ENB Provincial Government. The chiefly welcome was organised to say thank you to Mr O’Neill for his trust and confidence in Mr Dion, whom he made his deputy. Before the arrival of the tubuans, the Prime Minister inspected a joint guard of honour by the police and CS personnel. He was then driven to the Takubar Sports and Entertainment Centre where he was briefed on work in progress at the stadium, the venue for the fifth PNG Games, next month. Mr O’Neill was then taken to the Gazelle International Hotel where school children from Kokopo Primary lined up the street with flags to welcome him. He also met with members of the ENB business community later in the evening. The JSB will begin in the morning and meeting resolutions will be announced in the afternoon during a press conference.
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68.0¢ Sentiment: ST Buy Disclosure: Held
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