Act makes community govt second-tier

National
Source:
The National,Friday June 10th, 2016

THE Bougainville Community Government Act was passed during the last session of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) House of Representatives, Bougainville acting chief secretary Paul Kebori says.
Kebori says the act makes the community governments, a second- tier government to the ABG phasing out the council of elders that came into effect after the ABG become autonomous in 2005.
Under the new act the first assembly members will be elected during an election proposed for November.
Kebori says the chairman of community governments will be appointed by the community assemblies once the members are elected.
In terms of implementation the community governments will not come into immediate effect but will be progressed gradually until the councils of chiefs are fully phased out.
Kebori says once the community governments and the assemblies are fully operational that will also make it easy for service delivery.
Under the old arrangement, there were 45 councils of chiefs but there will only been 42 community governments.