Toroama eyes support from government

THE National Government’s commitment to support Bougainville financially, build capacity and with development projects are issues that President Ishmael Toroama wants the Joint Consultative Body (JCB) to resolve.
Toroama said the outstanding issues were on the agendas over the last 15 years at least.
The president made the statement during the pre-JCB convened in Port Moresby yesterday between the two governments. “We are now 19 years after the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement and 15 years after the formation of the Autonomous Bougainville Government,” he said.
“These outstanding agendas must be concluded before the next JCB so that we can focus on the substantive matters of ratifying the referendum result.”
Toroama told Prime Minister James Marape that he understood the stress the PNG Government was under as a result of the Covid-19.
He said that Bougainville was also under pressure from the voters whose expectations on the 98 per cent support remained unwavering.
The ongoing issue of outstanding constitutional grants owed to the ABG under the restoration and development grants included delay in diverting the BCL shares to the ABG, delay in drawdown of powers and functions, taxation initiatives and benefit from fisheries revenue.