News and Public Notices

The latest from across Bougainville

Ministerial Statement by President Hon. Ishmael Toroama

Mr. Speaker I rise today as the President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government within the chambers of this November house to present my ministerial statement.

From the outset let me take this opportunity to congratulate each and every one of the Honorable Members of the House for completing our first year in office as members of the Fourth Bougainville House of Representatives. The government officially turned a year old on September 29 of this year and we have now embarked on our second year in office.

Mr. Speaker the past year has been an eventful year marked by our triumphs as well as challenges and tragedy. In the last twelve months our government has progressed our Independence Mission from a seemingly impossible concept into a reality driven by our people in our constituencies. We have mapped out an economic roadmap and the administration is well on its way to reform.

Mr. Speaker our success cannot be accurately measured without the challenges that we faced. The year brought about challenges in law and order, financial constraints and the general complacency displayed by the administration. These are perennial challenges that the government continues to face but has worked hard to mitigate. The house suffered its greatest tragedy in the loss of our two senior members of parliament in the Late Hon. Raymond Masono who passed away and the Hon. Charry Napto who has gone missing at sea. The memory of these two great men is embedded in our drive for a better and independent Bougainville.

During the last year our government has achieved several milestones that has put us on the road to rebuilding our socioeconomic and political capacities under my government’s Six Point Strategy on;

  1. Political control of Bougainville’s Destiny,
  2. Economic Growth and Control,
  3. Administrative Control,
  4. Mobilizing Private Sector & Civil Society,
  5. Long Term Vision & Planning and
  6. International Relations.

Mr. Speaker, on the political front we have commenced the Post Referendum Joint Consultations with the National Government. Based on the successful outcome of the 2019 Referendum results our government through the consultations, has outlined our position on independence and we have agreed with the National Government on a timeline for the final political settlement for Bougainville that must not happen before 2025 and no later than 2027.

The Joint Supervisory Body continues to progress the implementation of the autonomous arrangements on Bougainville. Through the JSB the Sharp’s Agreement has expedited the process of drawing down powers and functions from the National Government. However, the issue of the outstanding Restoration and Development Grant Shares, the BCL Shares, Fisheries, SME funding and Taxation initiatives still need to be addressed.

Mr. Speaker, economic recovery has also been a focus of this government. In the past year we have realigned our economic priorities to be proactive and pragmatic to suit Bougainville’s current ability to raise revenue. We have introduced a new macro-economic model under the Bougainville Blue Print to create a self-sustaining economy through the development of our resources and encouraging foreign investment. We have embarked on several high impact projects through this initiative. The Department of the President and BEC is currently cooperating with other economic sector departments to articulate the vision of the government on creating a fiscally self-reliant Bougainville.

Mr. Speaker in any government change is important to ensure progress and development. If a government fails to evaluate itself and institute change then it is bound to become complacent, corrupt and it loses its focus to serve the best interest of its people. My recent decision to reshuffle the ministries in my cabinet is based on three issues that have gained prominence on the agenda of the government in the last twelve months. The cabinet reshuffle and appointment of Hon. Joseph Mona has been done to address the following;

  1. Continue Public Service Reforms and prepare its Independence Readiness Program
  2. Response to COVID 19 Pandemic.
  3. Improvement of law and order on Bougainville

With the exception of the Hon. Joseph Mona as the new Minister for Public Service, the minor reshuffle will now see the Minister for Police and Member for South Bougainville Veterans Hon. Thomas Tari assume the role of Minister for Health. The former Minister for Public Service and Member for Baba Hon. Emmanuel Carlos Kaetavara will now take on the Ministry for Police and Special Economic Zones.

Mr Speaker at this juncture I would like to respond to the Prime Minister’s statement in the National Parliament in September. It is not my intention to make this statement outside of the consultation process but the recent statement by the Governor General and the Prime Minister leaves us no choice but to address this issue.

Twenty years after the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement, the declining level of institutional memory in Papua New Guinea is contributing to the misconceptions and misinterpretations of the initial intent of the BPA.

The BPA was signed on August 30, 2001 between the Government of PNG and the people of Bougainville. The signing of the BPA signified the cessation of hostilities between the Government of PNG and people of Bougainville after a ten year long bloody civil war that cost billions of kina in damages and the loss of over 20000 thousand lives. It is important to note that the war was fought on the military, economic, international and political fronts. It had enormous ramifications for Bougainville and PNG and its effects are still being felt today.

Mr Speaker the BPA is a joint creation by the Government of PNG and Bougainville through the amendment of Part Fourteen (14) of the Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea that gave effect to the BPA and its implementation. It was signed as an instrument for lasting peace and to address the political aspirations for the people of Bougainville. The BPA adopted a peace by peaceful means approach that was to be implemented through the three key pillars of the BPA – Weapons Disposal, Autonomy and the conduct of a Referendum.

Mr Speaker, the statement that the Government of PNG “Cannot Transfer powers unless we transfer capacity and resources required to administer functions…” this is a chicken and egg argument. First of all, the ABG requires these powers to build our capacity and the Sharp Agreement dispenses with the requirements to build capacity. In the last 15 years the National Government retained the powers to collect various forms of taxes without remitting the revenues to the ABG in a timely manner. Consequently, this has impeded our economic and administrative growth.

The proposal that NCOBA coordinate with the National Government and its agencies by sectors for the drawdown of powers is not a new proposal. It has been in limbo for the last 15 years where NCOBA and the Department of Personnel Management played leading roles in facilitating. The process became burdensome and NCOBA failed to deliver it due to its own lack of capacity.

The statement further states that at Wabag the ABG put forward proposals that the Government of PNG deemed were “neither practical nor lawful under the Constitution including request to assume Section 209 powers,” Currency, Foreign Relations, Defense, Communications etc….

Mr. Speaker I must be frank in saying that the negotiations about political models was concluded at the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement which agreed for independence (as jointly defined in the Referendum vote) as a political option and which was further entrenched through the amended Constitution and the Referendum Vote of 97.7%. The only matter remaining now is the ratification of the consultation outcomes (endorsement as per Part 14 section 342 of the PNG Constitution that states that the National Government and the ABG shall consult over the result of the Referendum) of the vote by Parliament.  The Wabag Joint Statement, is an implementation instrument that was jointly discussed and agreed at the technical level and also jointly endorsed at the political level. No party was forced into accepting the road map.

The statement that the National Government’s “legal advice that parties cannot progress constitutional amendments until the PNG parliament has decided what form the final political settlement should take (after ratification vote)” is questionable. The question around the form of political settlement was discussed and/or debated at three key avenues over the last 16 years. The BPA negotiations agreed on a referendum for independence to be an option. The issue of political options has already been decided therefore all it requires is ratification by the National Parliament.

Mr Speaker, the PNG Constitution was already amended to grant the option of separate independence as an option for Bougainville and in that same breath, independence for Bougainville can be legally granted by way of a treaty. Any constitutional amendment proposed is for PNG to ring fence itself and prevent other provinces from seeking independence.  

Our plans to set up a Constitutional Planning Committee has also been rebuffed by the National Government. The Prime Minister expressed that the CPC and the repeal of the existing autonomy arrangements cannot take place until it determines the final political settlement for Bougainville. As a responsible government, based on the results of the referendum, we are obligated to practicalize the referendum result through the creation of our CPC. The work envisaged by ABG with regards to CPC, is one of financial and administrative preparations. The actual repealing of autonomous arrangements will depend on the outcome of consultations and ratification.

Mr Speaker, in reference again to the Joint Statement from the Wabag Consultations the Prime Minister’s statement in the National Parliament mentions that neither he nor the government have made any commitment to the ABG that independence will be the final outcome. He also states that neither him nor the government have the lawful authority to make such a commitment.

Mr Speaker, as we have stated so many times, the PNG Constitution is not silent on the subject of independence as included in the amended Constitution. The Amended constitution already provides for Independence as an option. Independence was already included as an option in the ballot paper as agreed by the two governments. The people voted for independence as jointly defined by the two governments.

The call for ratification is that it happens under the current government so that it paves the way for other processes to follow. This is a matter of interpretation. The Wabag joint roadmap uses the term “political settlement”. The Bougainville side interpret the term to mean “independence” while the PNG side perceives it to mean something else other than independence. Both interpretations are correct and indicate the different stand points.

The final decision-making authority is vested in the parliament and only this house may determine what the final outcome will be.

Mr Speaker I want to reassure the Members of this Honorable House and the people of Bougainville that I am not perturbed by these issues that may seem to have derailed our process on self-determination. I am a firm believer of negotiating a peaceful outcome for Bougainville and the Joint Consultations is the avenue where we can present our case. The implementation of the Bougainville Peace Agreement is the only path to achieving Bougainville’s independence and we will do so in the consultations.

Overall, the achievements by my Government’s first year in office has been the result of revaluating the ABG’s priorities and formulating a plan to induce progress in all development sectors. Under the Six Point Strategy, the government has been able to start implementing these plans through a cohesive coordinating mechanism that is progressing Bougainville’s political agenda on independence, stimulation of economic growth and improve the efficiency of the Bougainville Public Service delivery mechanism. Many of the government’s achievements are presently tangible development that have gone beyond the planning stages and will be rolled out soon.

Mr Speaker the Bougainville Independence Mission Initiative has set the tone for a holistic approach to development on Bougainville. The reforms and the developments made by the Government have been structured to reflect the Bougainville Independence Mission. I have made it clear that progress at the socioeconomic levels must be on par with the progress we achieve at the political level.

This government is committed to progress, it is committed to good governance and above all it is committed to the development and welfare of the people of Bougainville. The people remain Bougainville’s greatest asset and this government remains steadfast to delivering political and economic independence for Bougainville. It will create a conducive environment for development to thrive and peace to prevail.

Mr Speaker, I am proud to have witnessed the growth and maturity of the members of this honorable house. We have not succumbed to the challenges neither have we become arrogant with our triumphs. We have maintained our integrity and our commitment to serve Bougainville and deliver independence for the people.

Mr Speaker we have demanded independence, we have fought for independence and today we are at the final hurdle as we negotiate for independence for Bougainville. To everyone one of us, I urge you to continue to unite and to work hard and support the government.

I want to remind you all once again that Independence is not only our Right but it is our Destiny.

God Bless you all and God Bless Bougainville.

Mr Speaker I commend this statement to the House.

 

Hon. Ishmael Toroama MHR

President

[ Back to News ]