Buin welcomes O’Neill, projects

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday January 30th, 2014

 By ELIZABETH MIAE

THE small township of Buin in South Bougainville came alive on Tuesday with traditional singing and dancing to welcome Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on the second day of his good will visit to the autonomous region.

O’Neill, accompanied by Bougainville President Chief Dr John Momis, were received by traditional dancers when they arrived by helicopter from Buka.

The two were carried from the helicopter’s landing area to the district administration arena where the main programme took place.

O’Neill became the first prime minister to set foot on Buin which the locals embraced through their hospitality and traditional welcome.

Paramount Chief Jacob To’oke told O’Neill that the reconciliation and peace ceremony had brought the people together to rise up. 

“Today when you set foot on my home soil, you’ve seen the other side of the coin,” To’oke said.

Momis told the people that the future of the region was in their hands.

He said autonomy was not a Bougainville issue alone but concerned the national government’s input.

“Bougainville is the only place in PNG to bear a lot of burdens as a result of the crisis,” Momis said.

“The road to peace is already in the Bougainville Peace Agreement. The national constitution recognises Autonomous Bougainville Government as the only government to have a separate house of representatives to make independent laws.”

O’Neill said past governments did not fully participate in implementing the Bougainville Peace Agreement. 

“The national government is a development partner of the Autonomous Bougainville Government,” O’Neill said. “Bougainville has had a hand in the development of PNG.”

He then announced several projects under the District Services Improvement Programme for Buin which included sealing of the Buin town and Kangu road, Buin hospital maintenance, Buin Show ground development and Bougainville Teachers College. 

Following this, O’Neill declared open the Tuiruma Festival.