Self-reliance vital: Masiu

By DELORESE TALASI
THE people and the government of Bougainville need to develop its economy for real independence to take place, says South Bougainville MP Timothy Masiu.
He said Bougainville could only be regarded as truly independent if it no longer relied on aid money or handouts from foreign sources.
“For Bougainville to achieve this, the people must first and foremost be willing to give their land for development to take place
“Economic independence is what we must achieve right now.
“Learning from what Papua New Guinea is going through now and in the past, Bougainville must not make the same mistakes,” he said.
“We can not only vote at this referendum and say we are now an independent nation.
“In fact the walk to real independence has just begun.
“Where are your universities, your teachers colleges, your money-making institutions and your multimillion kina projects?
“We have nothing in Bougainville,” he said.
He said the people should be prepared to sacrifice their land, their resources and anything to boost the economy to a level that will sustain themselves.
“We Bougainvilleans must learn and grow our own economy before we can proudly say we are truly independent,” he said.
He said the Autonomous Bougainville Government did not own any land on Bougainville as all were customary land.
He said it was up to the people whether to free up their land for development