Independence not right choice

Bougainvillians should not vote for independence during this year’s referendum. It will definitely not be easy to run a country, especially if resources are limited.
How will Bougainville sustain its economy?
Look at the smaller countries like Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.
Those countries are struggling to survive.
Instead, we should form a new and bigger political entity and probably name it the Federation of Melanesia which should include PNG, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji.
Each state should have their own autonomy but under a single federation.
Some examples of existing unions and federations in the world include United States, Commonwealth of Australia and European Union.
We should float these kinds of ideas to stimulate discussions across all platforms.

Smith Wendell
UOG