Talks about the reopening of the Panguna Mine

.......will surely prevail at the next JSB meeting.

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ABG locals upset over meeting deferral

The deferral of the Joint Supervisory Body meeting to February 16 and 17 to Port Moresby has irked many Bougainvilleans who say it is a ploy by the National Government to waylay Bougainville.
But sources within the government say that the deferral came about after there was a deadlock over the correct calculations of the Restoration Development Grant and other funds owed to the Autonomous Bougainville Government.
The ABG’s position was to have the National Government pay outstanding arrears of the RDG for 2014 and 2015 before talks could proceed onto the correct calculation of the RDG.
The RDG payment for this year was K45 million as opposed to the usual K15 million that has been granted to the ABG since its inception ten years ago.
The extra K30 million was from the K500 million Special Intervention Fund for Bougainville that has been paid to Bougainville since 2011 at a rate of K100 million per annum.
The ABG has continued to argue that the SIF is a separate grant and should not have been used to accommodate the RDG which is a constitutionalised grant and should be met evenly by the National Government.
Sources with the ABG have revealed that if the matter regarding the correct calculation is not resolved during the next JSB Meeting the matter may be referred to the Supreme Court by the Autonomous Bougainville Government.
Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill has on numerous times assured the ABG President Grand Chief Dr John Momis to meet the conditions of the RDG but a constant change by technocrats to agree on the terms of the grant has at many a time been the reason for the impasse.
The other matter that will be raised at next year’s JSB is the slashing of the 2016 Budget allocation for Bougainville which sees a depreciation of the grants for the region.
Our source said that with the RDG being constitutionalised in the National Constitution, by law the budget cuts should not in any way affect whatever funding that is owed to Bougainville.
Apart from the ongoing saga over funding the JSB will meet to discuss the continued stages of the drawdown of powers and functions by the ABG from the National Government and how well both governments can work toward achieving its smooth transition.
This JSB will see the expected signing of three MOU’s that will begin the process of drawing down of powers and functions in the areas of Fisheries, Lands and the third being Environment.
The issue of Bougainville’s referendum will be another highlighted topic as 2016 opens its new windows.
for the referendum.
Both governments will have the opportunity to voice out concerns and bring forth ideas regarding the Referendum which has been highlighted as key issue in Bougainville’s autonomous arrangement.
As always talks about the reopening of the Panguna Mine will surely prevail at the next JSB.