Milestone in BougainvilleYET another milestone was reached in...

Milestone in Bougainville

YET another milestone was reached in the history of autonomous Bougainville politics yesterday.
Former governor John Momis willingly relinquished his New Bougainville Party to the now-ruling Bougainville People’s Congress party.
Mr Momis also willingly handed down his New Bougainville Party leadership to member elect for the Tonsu constituency Ezekiel Masatt. But Mr Momis will still ahead with his court case to dispute the election of the President — but he said it would be on a personal basis.
In a press conference, Mr Masatt told reporters the move by the New Bougainville Party to join the ruling BPC party was not to demean their former party leader or anyone but to show the people that the province was politically rising.
President-elect Joseph Kabui saluted the move and said it was a victory of solidarity that people should celebrate because it was progress for the province. He said it reflected what the people wanted — particularly the system of no political parties.
“I believe in the Government of Bougainville having a grand coalition approach and what is happening is a reflection of what people wanted,” he said. “But because it was an international norm we had that (parties) but we won’t let political parties become an obstacle to our progress.”
Mr Kabui said at the caretaker level — consisting of Vice President Joseph Watawi and Women’s Representative Magdalene Toroansi — the team had already started analysing how best they can utilise the newly elected leaders.
Mr Kabui also took time to thank Mr Momis for his leadership and contribution to the province during his term of service.
He said while he respected Mr Momis’s leadership, he would leave everything for democracy to