Government team visits Bougainville

SEVERAL departmental heads from the national government are in Bougainville this week to collect information as a follow-up to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the draw-down of powers from state to ABG signed at the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting last month in Port Moresby.
The delegation consisted of secretaries for Works, Mining and Geohazards and Health, directors for the departments of Agriculture and Livestock, Forestry, Education, Lands, Border Development Authority and also officials from  Teaching Service Commission.
Headed by the national coordination office for Bougainville affairs (NCOBA), the team will visit various sites of interest including Kieta port, Buin hospital, Kangu border post, Panguna district office and Haku High school.
NCOBA director Ellison Towallom said this was the first of many such study visits for the government to work closely with the Bougainville government.
“Essentially we are here in preparation for a number of JSB resolutions to be implemented over the next couple of years.
“Some of the departments have signed MoUs during the JSB.
“These signed MoUs are not going to collect dust. We are here to implement them,” Towallom said.