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Bougainville Administration realigns priorities to implement independence-readiness

The Bougainville Public Service is undergoing a re-alignment exercise with the aim of reflecting the government’s priority to deliver independence for Bougainville.

Acting Chief Secretary to the Autonomous Bougainville Government Shadrach Himata is leading this re-alignment exercise.

“As the head of the Bougainville Public Service, I am tasked with the primary role of aligning the public servants to state building and nation building,” he said.

“The role of the Public Service in State Building and Nation Building is a noble call for all legislators and policy makers as they craft legislations and create an enabling environment to sound public policy initiatives that safeguard the public welfare, protect national security, and maximize public interest.”

Himata said that these exercise will be guided by the Six Point Strategy of the Toroama-Nisira government.

Currently, work is being done to build capacity at the community government, district and ward levels and bring the government closer to the people.

“Going forward, we will build capacity at the Community Government, District and Ward level. The Bougainville Public Service will have less presence at the Headquarters level, with more focus now in the Constituencies, Community Governments, Districts and Ward Councils.”

The Chief Secretary also announced that from this year onwards, all planning and budgeting for Bougainville will take a bottom-up approach.

“This exercise will commence at the ward planning committees up to the District and Community Governments to the finalization of the budget plans at the Headquarters in Buka. The District Planning and Budget Priority Committees will be activated, capacitated and supported to take carriage of this exercise.  Our 2022 ABG budget will be framed with “independence for Bougainville” as the main theme following this approach,” he explained.

The Department of Community Government will be the lead department to drive this public sector reform.  

“To guide this development going forward, we are developing a Rural Urbanization Policy for Bougainville. The Department of Community Government has been tasked with this assignment and assisted by the Department of Justice. This policy will be launched this year.”

“If our people can enjoy the privilege of an urban setting at their rural door steps, we can attest that Bougainville is ready for independence.”

Four Regional Development Authorities will also be established to address all programs by the ABG Constituency Members and the four National MPs to ensure basic service delivery is delivered right at the village level.

“They (Regional Development Authorities) will become economic and development growth hubs,” he said.

“These Development Authorities will be self-accounting, run their own payroll systems and print own cheques for payments and development projects. They will also establish their own treasury functions to ensure accountability, equitability and transparency in their operations.”

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