Bougainville should have an autonomous government in place by 30 June, Inter-Government Relations Minister Sir Peter Barter said yesterday.
He said the elections for the provincial government should be held in April and May as scheduled since planning for this historic event, formally putting an end to the 10-year conflict, was going smoothly.
Prior to the holding of the elections a census of the population will have to be carried out, along with the drawing up of electoral boundaries, he said.
Sir Peter will fly to Buka today to discuss with Bougainvillean leaders a number of outstanding issues and will also attend a meeting of the budget supervising body.
Discussions will also be held with local leaders on the preferred seat of government for the Bougainville Autonomous Government, additional training of Bougainvillean police, an update on the weapons disposal programme and the issue of compensation claims by ex-combatants.
Sir Peter said Francis Ona’s Meekamui Defence Force has agreed to conduct a census of the estimated 4,000 people who live in the “No Go Zone” near the defunct Bougainville copper mine.
“People in the No Go Zone will vote in the Bougainville election and Francis Ona has been told he is welcome to come and meet us,” he said.
The removal of the Aropa roadblock and easier access from Arawa to Buin and other centres are part of “the big strides forward made in the last few weeks”. “Everyone is very positive,” Sir Peter said, adding that the National Government was working closely with all Bougainville authorities…. NATIONAL/PNS
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