Yay for Buka diplomatic office

 THE news about Prime Minister Peter O’Neill having a sting in the tail towards the decision by Australia to open up another diplomatic office in Buka, Bougainville should not be viewed as undermining the sovereignty of PNG, but a wake-up call on the government that is not walking the talk on ridding corruption. Just as everyone in PNG, including our international friends, know how bad corruption is in high places, it is no wonder the Australian government is worried about its aid money for Bougainville ending up in the wrong hands. Bougainville deserves a diplomatic office for direct bilateral engagement with Australia. This should be welcomed by the PNG government, especially when there is a substantial increase in aid funding by Australia towards critical programmes that will heighten Bougainville’s development to another level. One should see this with great wisdom rather than with a grain of salt.

Geoff Pato

Port Moresby