B’ville peace agreement a priority: Minister

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THE Bougainville peace agreement to be fully honoured will be a top priority, new Minister for Bougainville Affairs Fr Simon Dumarinu says.
He spoke at his handover ceremony of the ministry yesterday in Port Moresby.
Dumarinu said since the Bougainville peace agreement was given legal effect, he was prepared to take over with effective and honest implementations of the Bougainville peace agreement.
“This required close, ongoing consultation and cooperation between the National Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) with full regard at every level to serve the interest and need to secure the support of Bougainvilleans,” he said.
“Not only it is important, but also a practical requirement to maintain lasting peace through peaceful means.
“With agreed arrangements relating to Bougainville’s autonomy that were in the process of implementation, and given the five-year term to hold the constitutionally guaranteed referendum for Bougainville’s political future that was coming up in 2019, it was of utmost importance that the national government and the ABG kept working together to work towards the Bougainville peace agreements.
“Issues that were still yet to be stable included the transfer of functions and powers, and resolute differences over financial grants which the National Government is required by law to provide to the ABG.
“The second constitutionally mandated joint review of Bougainville autonomy is now overdue.
“The National Government and the ABG need to meet and agree on how the independent specialist is reviewed and how the joint review itself will be held.”