Media Statement from the Office of the President
PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT ON ADVISOR COMMENTARY
The Australian Government remains one of Bougainville’s most important development partners in terms of infrastructure development and support and more importantly in the peace process.
I believe Bougainville and Australia have cultivated a relationship that is based on mutual respect, trust and our shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
However, I must express my disappointment at an article written by former Australian advisor to Bougainville, Gordon Peake in the Lowy Institute’s website early this week.
The article was satirical in nature and called into question the integrity of the Autonomous Bougainville Government and our commitment to the peace process especially the Post Referendum Consultations.
It explicitly implies that my government does not take the consultations seriously and that we condone the wastage of government resources.
Mr. Peake’s article further insinuates that the trip to Port Moresby to convene the Joint Supervisory Body Meeting last week was a failure and in general Bougainville’s attempts at self-determination was futile.
The connotations from the article are endless and quite damaging to Bougainville’s resolve on attaining political independence.
Let me explain again that the large number of Bougainville delegates traveling to Port Moresby at that time was because we were prepared to meet the National Government; my cabinet for the JSB and our consultation team who were ready to meet their national counterparts to begin the preliminaries of the Post Referendum Consultations.
The delegation did not waste the entire week in complacency; a key outcome of the trip was the Joint Technical Team meeting and agreeing on the progressive issues of the JSB agendas.
I do not appreciate the subversive means employed by Mr. Peake to obtain information as a former advisor to the ABG’s Department of Post Referendum Consultations (formerly Department of Bougainville Peace Agreement Implementation) and then twist the facts to suit his own devise.
As a former advisor in the Autonomy Directorate Mr. Peake should have an appreciation of the facts relating to the JSB meetings and the consultations as he was advising the previous ABG House on the Drawdown of Powers and Functions from the National Government.
While I understand that Mr. Peake’s views are independent of the Australian Government it is quite alarming to learn that former advisors are using their inside knowledge on Bougainville to abscond from the truth and provide a shallow analysis on Bougainville’s affairs.
Hon. Ishmael Toroama MHR
President
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