‘Referendum needs awareness’

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
AN Australian economist says that there is need for more awareness on Bougainville before the referendum in 18 months’ time.
“One thing that they need to know is that if they want to vote for independence then they have to double or triple the resources that they are currently benefitting from the autonomous arrangement,” University of New South Wales academic Prof Satish Chand said.
Chand said yesterday during a seminar on the Bougainville referendum at Stanley Hotel in Port Moresby that the Autonomous Region of Bougainville needed knowledge, capacity and planning before the critical decision on June 19, 2019.
“Before arriving at the referendum, there is the need to understand to be independent or to remain in autonomy. And the challenge for Bougainville is to raise internal tax-based revenue. You need more finance to become independent because you need money to run your government.”
Chand said there were talks of the re-opening of the giant Bougainville copper mine to boost the economy in order for Bougainville to become independent.
“But it is not the case because there is a moratorium on mining and the most optimistic restarting of BCL is in 2025.
“But a good resource to develop is the tuna industry in AROB waters because it can fetch up to K100 million annually for their internal revenue. They can also generate taxes from their exports of cocoa.
“There is an enormous production of this cash crop in AROB.”