Govt transfering powers

The National National
Prime Minister James Marape (left) with Autonomous Bougainville Government President Ishmael Toroama and members of the pre-Joint Consultative Body meeting in Port Moresby on Monday.

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
PRIME Minister James Marape says PNG will only relate to Bougainville through what is in the constitution and all its revenue-generating powers will be transferred to its government.
He said the timeframe to have the powers transferred would be on the agenda of the remaining Parliament sessions before the 2022 national election.
The prime minister said the National Government would try to complete any amendments to help prepare the autonomous government and transfer required powers so it was ready to run its own government before the 2022 elections.
He specified that resource and environmental powers would also be transferred, according to the constitution.
“We will be transferring land, fisheries, forestry, mining powers, petroleum, resources and environment powers relating to Bougainville on constitutional powers,” he said.
“So the Bougainville government will have the operational laws and the enabling laws to work with, with the Bougainville constitution working side by side with the PNG constitution.
“That is the only relationship we will have.
“All operating acts of parliament will be transferred to Bougainville and we empower them in the process.
“I am committed to handling Bougainville to the best of my ability, immediately empowering Bougainville when it comes to resource harvest.
“We will assist, monitor your collections in fisheries, forestry, agriculture and other industries that you Bougainvilleans may choose to undertake.”