Elders call for DSIP assistance

Islands, Normal
Source:

The National , Tuesday, May 31, 2011

NORTH Bougainville council of elders have called on their newly elected national parliament member to commit his district services improvement programme funds to the council’s planned projects.
Member for Hagogohe and chairman of the Tahetahe Tsuhana village assembly Stanly Gimots said last Friday the MP should help provide funding for all pro­jects in the 14 council of elders of his electorate.
“He should walk, talk and practise autonomy instead of wasting taxpayers’ money to entertain his cronies and election committee members,” Gimots said.
He said the practice of distributing funds from DSIP was not user-friendly to building autonomy in Bougainville.
“Bougainville MPs should redesign their methods of distribution to meet the autonomy arrangement the national government and ABG have adapted through the Bougainville peace agreement.”
He said the national government’s intention to provide DSIP for all open members was quite explicit, that it was for people-related projects to create economic and social development in each district.
“In Bougainville, the national government’s DSIP intention is the ideal vehicle for leaders to strengthen autonomy and move towards the region’s independence.
“But past leaders have failed to capture this to make autonomy work at the village level,” Gimots said.
He said the other option Bougainville MPs should consider was to arrange with the state and ABG for their DSIP funds to be included in the ABG annual budgetary support to facilitate autonomy building at the village level.