Leader calls for ABG economic assessment

FORMER rebel leader Sam Kauona is calling on the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) to seriously assess how much has been delivered in terms of development as Bougainville heads towards its proposed referendum in 2019.
Kauona said since the region gained its autonomous status in 1997, the Government had allocated so much funding to develop the region.
He said if the core mechanisms of developments were not in place, it would be hard for the region to run its affairs after the referendum.
Kauona said leaders needed to find ways to develop the region before and after the referendum.
“It is only three years before we come to this proposed referendum date of June 15, 2019,” he said.
“We must not blame anyone but to start assessing our performance of how much we have delivered from what has been given to us.”
He said the world was welcomed to partner with the region in development but those mechanisms must be in place to facilitate this.
He also urged the ABG to establish a working relationship with the people at the community level.
Kauona said a collectively approach between the ABG and its people was an important area that needed to come into play and be effective to ensure tangible development was seen at all levels in the community.
“Most of the times, we at the top level expect the people to cope with what we are doing. But it is only when we come down to them that they can understand what we are doing,” he said.