PM reassures ABG of referendum

By Max Aumora Jr
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has reassured the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and its people of the national government’s commitment to their referendum.
“There will be no delays. We will hold it as specified in the (Bougainville) peace agreement,” he said in Port Moresby yesterday when closing a three-day conference on the referendum run by the National Research Institute.
“There are sometimes perceptions out there that the national government is not fully committed to the peace process on Bougainville. That is not true.
“The national government is committed to honouring the spirit and the letter of the agreement.”
However, O’Neill warned that some requirements needed to be met before the referendum was held.
He echoed Bougainville President John Momis’ concerns on Tuesday over the issue of weapons disposal, saying that it had to be implemented fully to ensure a free and fair referendum.
He touched on good governance issues, saying that the last review of the autonomous arrangements was 10 years ago. He described this situation as lacking accountability and transparency.
In addressing the “independence” option of the referendum, O’Neill reiterated his past statements and position that he “strongly” believed that it was not the intention of the authors of the Constitution that Papua New Guinea ended up as a divided nation.
“The national Parliament will make the right decision given the interest of both Bougainville and Papua New Guinea,” he said.
O’Neill expressed confidence, however, that the challenges over the next few months leading up to the referendum would be achieved amicably.