B’villeans ready for referendum, says Samb

Bougainvilleans are ready for the referendum and their leaders have prepared them well, Minister assisting the Prime Minister and Goilala MP William Samb says.
Samb, in a report to Parliament, thanked the Bougainville leaders for preparing their constituencies for the referendum which enabled people to understand the process.
He said the two governments agreed that PNG and the Bougainville Electoral Commission would establish an independent Bougainville Referendum Commission to conduct the referendum as per the organic law on peace building.
“The target date for completing necessary preparations has been agreed for June 15, 2019, which is not necessarily the actual date for holding the referendum,” Samb said.
“Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and Autonomous Bougainville Government President John Momis have stated that they will work together to ensure that the referendum process received financial and other support required.”
Samb said the joint supervisory body for the referendum had adopted that the government would allocate K54.3 million.
“From that amount, K20m has been allocated in the 2019 national budget. We are now in the process of discussions with the relevant ministries to secure the remaining K34.3m,” he said.
“Another allocation with the ABG is an amount of K10m, K5m is to continue the ongoing process of weapons disposal as well as peace and reconciliation. The other K5m is to conduct the referendum.”
Samb said the charter for the Bougainville Referendum Commission was signed in January 2017 that provides for a board of commissioners, the chair and executive head of which is to be appointed by the joint supervisory body.