ENB sets up committee to push agenda for greater autonomy

THE East New Britain (ENB) government has set up a committee to push its agenda for greater autonomy for the province.
Governor Nakikus Konga said when delivering his independence message in Kokopo this week that a committee of 10 prominent East New Britons would work towards finalising things to make the transition.
“This committee will include people like Sir Paulias Matane, Sinai Brown and others,” Konga said.
“The full committee will be announced when we celebrate our provincial day (October),” he said.
“In regards to the autonomous government, we have done a lot of things.”
Konga said on Aug 2, the national government had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Enga, New Ireland and East New Britain provinces to allow them to have greater autonomy.
“This (MoU) is the start to get the autonomous government in place,” Konga said.
“We have to form a committee that will sit down together so that we do some amendments to the organic law to enable us to get what we want,” he said.
“It (committee) will look at politics, economy and finance.
“Once they’ve complete it after eight months, the National Executive Council will approve it and it goes to Parliament and they can pass it to become law.”
Konga said autonomy was a dream for many East New Britons as they had been waiting for it for many years.
Konga said he hoped to see the province getting autonomy status sooner than later.