Link to push autonomy

By Tabitha Nero
MILNE Bay and New Ireland plan to start a sister-province relationship and to encourage provincial autonomy.
A memorandum of understanding will be signed within a few weeks to launch the relationship, according to New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan and Milne Bay Governor Titus Philemon.
They attended New Ireland Day celebrations at Konos in New Ireland last Wednesday.
Philemon told the people on the first day of celebrations that many progressive programmes were introduced in New Ireland since Sir Julius became governor in 2007.
“New Ireland has shown the way and we in Milne Bay are watching closely,” he said.
“In Milne Bay, we have taken a number of innovative steps as well and I am confident that the establishment of a sister-province relationship will build on these.
“Together we will do much more than we could do alone.” Sir Julius said the planned relationship had made dreams of the Malagan Declaration a reality.
These include providing free education, proper care for the elderly and disabled, people getting sweat equity to clear land for crops and having subsidised shipping services.
Philemon was concerned that Milne Bay had not benefitted much from the Misima mine.
“We need greater autonomy so we can avoid such a disaster in future,” he said.
“Our main resources are renewable resources and we insist that we be given greater control over them because right now they are being exploited with very little benefit to the people.”