NEW DAWN ON BOUGAINVILLE

290915LATEST ON CENTER
By Tom Kathoa

The women population of North Bougainville is in the dark and confused about the ownership of recently completed Women’s Resource Center at Kubu.

The building was jointly funded by the National Parliament Member for North Bougainville, Hon. Lauta Atoi and former North Bougainville Women’s ABG Representative, Mrs. Elizabeth Burain.

In parliament today, the North Bougainville Women’s Representative, Hon. Francisca Semoso asked the Minister for Community Development, Hon. Josephine Getsi to tell the women of the region of the status of this building.

Member Semoso said it has been six months now and the women of North Bougainville are not using the building meant for them.

But, Minister Getsi responded by saying that the former member has not yet responded to her letter on the matter.

And, while this is going on, the women are again being denied their right the use of the building.

Ends

290915LEADERS FORUM
By Tom Kathoa

A leader forum on the issue of Bougainville’s Referendum is being planned for next month according to the Minister responsible for referendum.

Vice Minister and Minister for Referendum, Veterans Affairs and Peace, Hon. Patrick Nisira informed the House of Representatives today that a leaders forum would be held in Rabaul next month.

Mr. Nisira said this forum would be held immediately after the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting on the same month.

He further advised that participants will involve Veterans, Members of the ABG and other senior government officers.

About 100 participants are expected to attend this lenders forum.

New Dawn FM Reporter says high on the agenda is the awareness on the conduct of referendum.

Ends……

290915MONEY FOR THE PEOPLE
By Tom Kathoa

ABG Members of the House of Representatives heard that money allocated to them under the Constituency Grants belong to the people.

Finance Minister, Mr. Albert Punghau told members that both the former and current members are entitled to the first and second quarter allocation of this grant.

Minister Punghau said the Bougainville Executive Council has made a ruling that former members’ projects be funded with this money including those of the new members.

The finance minister said it only needs the close working relationship of the two to identify what projects should be funded using this money.

He further explained that former members are entitled to this money because they were in power at the time the funds were legally available.

He urged members not to politicize the funds, as the money does not belong to them, but for the people to develop their respective communities.

ENDS

290915RETENTION POLICY
By Tom Kathoa

Highly educated and qualified Bougainvilleans both within and outside the region could find themselves still working for the government even after reaching retirement age.

This is the view held by the ABG President, Chief Dr. John Momis.

President Momis said his government is looking at a policy that will keep highly skilled Bougainvilleans on the job.

He said the region needs to come up with an incentive retention policy to keep such officers on their jobs even if they have reached retirement age.

There are many Bougainvilleans with that kind of knowledge, education and skill working outside the region and we need such people to come and assist us, but we must make conditions suitable for them.

The President said his government is looking at creating a retention policy to keep such officers on the job to train and pass on their experience to our young youthful workforce.

Ends…

280915UNITY CALL
By Tom Kathoa

The people of Bougainville including political and non-political factions have been challenged to be united in the face of the incoming referendum vote.

The challenge was issued by the Commander of the Meekamui Defense Force, Mr. Moses Pipiro saying the time for disunity in Bougainville is well and truly gone.

Mr. Pipiro urged all Bougainvilleans to stand behind the government and make informed contributions on the referendum awareness campaign.

He challenged all good thinking Bougainvilleans to put the future of their children and grandchildren above all and not to politicize the referendum issue.

He is urging all of us to put behind our past difference and work towards achieving our common goal.

Mr. Pipiro addressing delegates at the Panguna meeting last week.

Ends----

280915SAWA’S UNIFICATION
By Tom Kathoa

The most talked about subject now is “Referendum” with the common phrase now being used by politicians and referendum advocates is ‘Unity or Unification’.

And, the Member for Hagogohe Constituency, Robert Hamal Sawa wasted no time in calling for total unification among his constituents.

Member Sawa people throughout Bougainville need to be united in their stand and move for referendum.

In commending women for joining the awareness team, he wants everyone to make him/herself be counted in this exercise.

The move by Hago Women to form an awareness committee on referendum is believed to be the first women in the region to do so.

Ends……

280915MONOVI ASHAME
By Tom Kathoa

The Head of the Bougainville Public Service, Chief Secretary Monovi Amani told a meeting of political and administrative leaders that he is ashamed of reports that people are not getting government services.

Mr. Monovi said public servants are there to deliver and to make government services reach the people at the very remote rural areas of the region.

However, he admitted that this is not happening and has promised to shake up the public servants.

The Chief Secretary said it is a crime for government workers who are suppose to be servants of the people using up all the money in their comfort zone with very little going down to the majority of the rural population.

Mr. Amani said this trend has to be stopped and now is the right time to stop that.

He said the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and its government will need at least more than K300 million to enable it to effectively carry out its developmental programs.

He added that the government does not have that kind of money available now.

Ends……

280915LIVE SESSION
By Tom Kathoa

New Dawn Fm listeners throughout the Autonomous Region of Bougainville will be able to listen to debate in parliament tomorrow.

New Dawn Fm station wants people to hear and know their member is doing for them in the House of Representatives.

Tomorrow’s session of the ABG Parliament is the start of the second meeting of this third house.

This station is pleased to be brining this live broadcast to its listeners to enable them to judge their members performance while in office.

Ends…

280915LEAVE US ALONE PLEASE
By Tom Kathoa

Please, can you people leave us alone for a while, This call is coming from people in the Panguna Mine area whose lives has and is being affected by the operations of the now closed copper mine.

Commander of the Meekamui Defense Force, Moses Pipiro made the call during a high level meeting at Panguna recently.

The meeting was attended by the ABG President, Hon. Dr. Chief John Momis, and Minister for Mining, Hon. Robin Wilson, Noah Doko Member for Central former combatants and at the Administrative level, Chief Secretary for the Bougainville Administration, Mr. Monovi Amani, Acting Secretary for the Department of Referendum, Veterans Affairs and Peace, Mr. James Tanis and leaders from the Meekamui and Panguna landowners.

In making the call to be left alone, Mr. Pipiro said convincingly that they are ready and fully committed to the referendum process because they want to see a good outcome.

But, he asked, is the ABG ready.

Ends,,,

Sent from Samsung Mobile

Sent from Samsung Mobile