By
Anthony Kaybing
The
Councils of Elders in Bougainville are not running properly due to lack of
support from the Autonomous Bougainville Government, says chairman of the Buka
District Councils of Elders, Joseph Gatana.
Mr
Gatana says the annual budget allocation of K40,500 is insufficient for the councils
to effectively manage their affairs.
“The
councils are part of the ABG’s bottom up approach to bringing a more direct
form of governance and service to the people of Bougainville,” he said. “The
powers of the councils are well stipulated in the ABG’s constitution.”
He
said these powers are useless when they aren’t put into practical effect. There
is an urgent need for support from the ABG in the form of vehicles and more
trained staff.
Mr
Gatana added that there is also an urgent need for capacity building of the councils
around Bougainville.
In
the area of self sustainability, councils had to wait for the Bougainville
Executive Council to approve for the collection of head tax. He said the slow
enactment of the policy had led to a late and ineffective tax collection this
year.
He
also called for the early release of the Councils of Elders review, undertaken
to examine areas where the council system might be strengthened and governed in
ways that are more traditionally oriented.
He
said the release of the review would greatly help the councils to improve their
services to the people of Bougainville.
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