B’ville govt tasked to explain money use

By SHIRLYN BELDEN
THE Autonomous Bougainville government has been taken to task over its handling of annual development grants by the national government.
Bougainville Affairs Minister Steven Kamma told parliament yesterday that the ABG had not properly accounted for the first K200 million of its K500 million five-year development package.
Kamma said in his ministerial statement that under the financing arrangement, K100 million would be provided for infrastructure development each year from 2012-16.
He said the funds should be properly accounted for and reported to him so he could inform the prime minister and National Executive Council.
The minister said the ABG’s financial reporting and accounting mechanism was not in place and therefore, he was unable to report on the expenditure and implementation aspects of the development package.
Kamma also told parliament that the prime minister would be seeking the speaker’s approval to establish a bi-partisan parliamentary committee for Bougainville.
“The bi-partisan committee will provide oversight over various activities on the autonomous region such as the referendum committee, weapons disposal, public service transfer and infrastructure development and ensuring the three pillars of the autonomous government are achieved,” he said.
Kamma added he accompanied Deputy Prime Minister Leo Dion to Bougainville two weeks ago for the launching of the referendum committee by ABG President John Momis.
He said the committee’s work included the review of the autonomous arrangements which was a legal requirement under the Bougainville peace agreement.