Reconciliation ceremony deferred

THE national reconciliation ceremony for veterans of the Bougainville crisis has been deferred to next month, Bougainville Affairs Minister Sir Puka Temu, says.
Sir Puka said the ceremony was for the former members of PNG security forces, Bougainville Resistance Force and Bougainville Revolutionary Army members to reconcile as part of the Bougainville peace process leading into the referendum.
Sir Puka reaffirmed the National Government’s commitment in fulfilling the three pillars of the Bougainville Peace Agreement – autonomy, weapons disposal and referendum.
“This will be a momentous occasion being symbolic of all parties involved in the conflict, putting all their differences aside and moving forward,” he said.
“This will further propel our collective efforts towards fully implementing the Bougainville Peace Agreement as we prepare its conclusion through the referendum in October.”
Sir Puka clarified the release process of the K20 million to the Bougainville Referendum Commission for the preparation of the Referendum.
“The first K10 million was not released in lots of K5 million in February and April.
On the contrary, the K10 million was released in full on March 31, 2019, with the break-up of K8 million for electoral activities and K2 million for non-electoral activities. “I must also thank Prime Minister James Marape and Treasurer Sam Basil and minister for planning for fully releasing the budgeted K20 million for the referendum.
“I have written to the treasurer to also release the government’s commitment of extra K10 million by the then deputy prime minister and treasurer Charles Abel.”