Bipartisan committee on Bougainville referendum appointed

THE Bipartisan Committee on the Bougainville Referendum has been appointed, Minister Assisting Prime Minister William Samb says.
He said Bougainville was an important issue and an integral part of PNG and there was a peace agreement in place which governments on both sides were addressing.
“It’s an independent team that’s supposed to visit the island and engage with the people on the ground,” Samb said.
“Apart from the bipartisan committee, my team on the ground has been doing a lot of work.
“Our technical team under the leadership of Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari had done a lot of work.”
On the issue of the committee’s trip to Bougainville, Samb said trips were made to the island.
“I’ve raised this with the prime minister and the government caucus that we should get a team on the ground very soon.
“I’m pleased to announce to Parliament that we’ve got the team in place in which the member (Henry Leonard) was included.
“I’ll be talking to the Finance Department to secure some funds so the team can make its independent trip to Bougainville very soon.