Key office not resourced for peace agreement
BY GORETHY KENNETH
THE government’s Bougainville co-ordination office was never resourced properly to fully implement the Bougainville Peace Agreement since it was signed in 2001, the Parliamentary Bi-Partisan Committee on Bougainville was told yesterday.
Acting director of NCOBA was grilled by the committee, led by deputy chair and Regional MP for Bougainville Joe Lera, who told them that the K54.3 million funding proposal has not yet been appropriated.
But Mr Anuma stressed at the meeting in Port Moresby yesterday that despite the shortfall, the national government has been on its toes, working endlessly to have programs kicked off, one of the main achievements was the official set up of the Bougainville Referendum Commission which had been allocated K20 million for referendum work.
“We have not received any additional, beside the one I have just mentioned, which is within the government’s commitments, nothing additional,” Mr Anuma told the committee.
One of the committee members, Samarai Murua MP, Isi Henry Leonard has called on NCOBA and government to put every effort in the referendum, failing that would have some repercussions.
“I noticed the government was pushy footing on this issue and since my appointment, I was never told about the bipartisan trip. I felt that the government was pushy footing on this issue. In Bougainville, the people raised concerns on the role and functions of NCOBA,” Mr Leonard said.
“NCOBA’s role in facilitating and moving this referendum is very important, it is critical at this time that NCOBA must now engage with finance and technical support at all levels and it must be fully equipped.
“I gather that it is just an office here in Waigani and also an office in Buka.”
“NCOBA’s engagement in progressing the referendum process is vital at this point because of the fact that we have a very limited time to give as per the Peace Agreement. There’s a time frame given there and we are already running out of time.
“Referendum will be in October and we are now in April, there’s not enough time, right now we need complete dedication and commitment from NCOBA and the government.
“Whatever undertaking that is given, it must now give and provide the resource and provide personnel and finance, this must now happen to move the referendum process forward.
“There’s a huge task there on the ground that must be undertaken right through to the date of referendum and NCOBA’s role right now is critical, you have to move it, you got to make it work, without fulfilling your commitments, this referendum will not move forward and the people on the ground are frustrated with the national government and NCOBA.
“We cannot allow this to happen, it must now get out of its comfort zone and do its work.
“From the last visit, people on the ground are saying NCOBA is not working, ABG is frustrated, we the bi-partisan committee, we are frustrated. NCOBA must work and the government must make its commitment, it’s got to move it forward, otherwise we are mockery, this committee here, we are mockery, we must work together to make this happen.
“NCOBA must now work so that we have a report to present to Parliament and to the people of Bougainville.
“Let’s not pussy foot on this issue, this is our responsibility to make it happen and work, including all stakeholders involved. There’s no time to lose. NCOBA must work with the full assistance from the government,” he said.
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