Officials arrive for Bougainville review

The National National

AUTONOMOUS Region of Bougainville (AROB) President Dr John Momis has welcomed news that independent officials undertaking the second joint autonomy review have arrived in PNG.
“We welcome the valuable contribution that these experts will make for progressing the joint implementation of autonomy arrangements as per the Bougainville Peace Agreement,” Momis said.
He assured people that the purpose of the review was not to change any part of the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
“The five yearly review of autonomy arrangements is simply a requirement of the Bougainville Peace Agreement,” Momis said.
“It will look at both the national government and the ABG as joint implementers of autonomy, the progress and challenges, and make recommendations to overcome these challenges.
“We also look forward to the assessment of the current state of good governance in Bougainville as this will assist both governments to agree on setting a final date for the referendum.”
Under the Bougainville Peace Agreement, both weapons disposal and good governance are to be used to set the referendum date. The current target date is June 15 next year.
The second joint review is being undertaken with the support of the United Nations at the request of the president and PNG Prime Minster Peter O’Neill, and includes the following independent specialists:

  • Kevin Deveaux, a former provincial parliamentarian from Canada who has practised law for 27 years;
  • Aisake Valu Eke, a former parliamentarian from Tonga and was Minister of Finance from 2014-17;
  • Christine Bell, a professor of Constitutional Law and assistant principal (Global Justice) and director of the Global Justice Academy at the University of Edinburgh; and
  • Martin Brash, executive director of Tanorama Ltd, a Papua New Guinea-based consulting firm.

Momis noted the significant depth of experience that the review team brings, recognising that each will contribute to important aspects of assessing the existing autonomy arrangements.
The president reaffirmed commitment to the eradication of corruption.