NEW DAWN ON BOUGAINVILLE

220218BOUGAINVILLE COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS GO URBAN
By Aloysius Laukai
Work has started to complete the Bougainville Community Government elections with the inclusions of urban areas left when the initial Community Government elections was conducted last year.
The urban areas were left as the Community Government elections did not need a common roll to conduct and to include the urban areas a common roll had to be used.
And to complete the election, the Office of the Bougainville Electoral Commission started this week to update and complete a common roll for urban areas of Buka, Arawa and Buin.
According to the media officer for the Bougainville Electoral Commission, WINTERFORD TOREAS work on updating the common roll started at Sohano island and will cover areas, Buka town,Kubu, Kukul,Ieta, Hahela and Hutjena.
Later they will cover other urban wards in Buin and Arawa before conducting elections in these areas to complete the Bougainville Community Government Election.

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220218BOUGAINVILLE TECHNICAL SCHOOL TAKING STUDENTS
By Aloysius Laukai
The Bougainville Technical College, Tinputz is now accepting students for the 2018 academic year.
According to the Deputy Principal of the School, GABRIEL DAVE, Trade Courses the school is offering are WELDING,CAPENTARY,PLUMBING and LIGHT MOTOR VEHICLE MECHANIC.
The school is also offering two non-Trade Courses, BUSINESS STUDIES and TOURISM.
Enrolment days will start on Monday February 26th to Friday 2nd March, 2018.
And orientation week will be between, March 5th to March 9th, 2018.
School fees for 2018 are as follows, Boarding students for Trade Courses will pay K5,462 and for Non Trade Courses the school fees will be K5,462.
Day students will pay K4,554 for Trade courses and K4,505 for Non Trade Courses.
The school requires sixty percent as upfront payment from students before they are accepted into the School.
Sixty percent for Trade courses and boarders are K3,307.20 and for Day students K2732.40.
For Non Trade courses Sixty percent is K3,277.20 for boarders and Day students will pay K2,702.40.
The deputy Principal also said that students with outstanding schools fees will have to complete them too.
Students are also required to go to the School with their beddings and Plates and Cups plus Buckets and Knives and Grass knives.
For more information, you can call the deputy Principal on mobile number 70639199.

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220218CONTROL INCOMING PEOPLE SAYS HEROMATE
By Aloysius Laukai

A former senior Public servant in the Bougainville administration, PATRICK HEROMATE is calling on the ABG to make sure they control and monitor the movement of people into communities throughout Bougainville.
He told New Dawn FM in Buka that he was concerned at the influx and movement of people especially outsiders into communities without any reasons.
He said in the past District Managers were on 24 hours on call to monitor such movements to make sure the communities were protected from unscrupulous investors going directly into unsuspecting communities.
MR. HEROMATE’s call came after a ship was seen trying to berth in the West Coast area last week.
He said drug dealers and other illegal activities can destroy Bougainville if the Government is not cautious of such activities taking place in the remote areas of Bougainville.
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220218POLICE ON ROAD SAFETY
By Aloysius Laukai

The Bougainville Police is concerned at road safety on all Bougainville roads.
Buka Police Station Commander, Senior Sergeant John Popui told New Dawn FM yesterday that Police wants all drivers to make sure their vehicles are roadworthy and registered to be on public roads.
He said Police wants all drivers to make sure that they do not overload their vehicles and also over the speed limits.
The Police Commander said that Bougainville Police are making random checks on all Bougainville roads and drivers will be booked and charged for un-road worthy vehicles and overloaded vehicles.
He said that as the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure” so it is better to prevent accidents from happening and save lives.

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210218GIZO UNDER CURVIEW TONIGHT
By Aloysius Laukai
As of this evening the Solomon Islands,Western Province Premier has issued a curfew for people in Gizo which started at 10 pm and till 6am.
All Liquor outlets to close including Schools in Gizo until further notice.
The escapees are still at large and the Premier has appealed to them to surrender voluntarily to authorities and discuss the situation according to our Melanesian culture.
Meanwhile, more Police reinforcements have also arrived in Gizo to contain the situation if the need arises and also to maintain law and order in and around Gizo.
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Picture of the earlier story on Bougainvilleans caught on Solomon Islands waters yesterday.

Bougainville independence referendum need to be ready by December 2018

Papua New Guinea’s autonomous province of Bougainville will have to be ready and prepared for the independence referendum by December 2018, six months before the vote is taken.

Both the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government have set 16 June, 2019 as the referendum day for the island nation of just over 249,000 population.

Two aspects of the Bougainville Peace Agreement signed in 2001 need to be met before the referendum — the creation of good governance structures and the disposal of any remaining weapons.

These conditions were highlighted by the acting director of Bougainville Affairs, John Avira while briefing Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Senior Officials in Port Moresby last week on Sunday.

“We are working in partnership with the ABG and key stakeholders to ensure that Bougainville is weapons free by December, said Avira.

Key challenges identified 16 months before the proposed referendum includes electoral roll, question on the ballot paper, enrolment criteria, funding, security and awareness.

The PNG Constitution says the Referendum question or questions must be jointly agreed to by the two Governments after consultation. One option must be a choice of ‘separate independence for Bougainville’. There could be one question, asking whether voters support independence, “yes’ or “no”. Or if the governments agree, the question could be two or more options.

An ABG factsheet clearly spells out that some options that might be considered are: 1. Continue the same level of autonomy as now 2. More autonomy than now 3. Free association with PNG 4. Independence to be gradually attained over a period of years 5. Immediate independence, if there is sufficient capacity in Bougainville and if agreed by the National Government 6. Deferring a decision on independence until after another referendum is held.

“The two governments will research and consult to help decide and agree on the final question or questions, said Avira.

“At the end of the exercise we want to see that peace must prevail.”

The entity to conduct the referendum – the Referendum Commission was set up over a year ago with a proposed budget of K20 million (US$6.2 million) – but no appointments have been made to the Commission to oversee the independence referendum.

Solomon Islands has vested interest in the outcome of the referendum, said foreign affairs secretary, Peter Kenilorea.

“We have a common crossing border between Bougainville and the Shortland Islands. We’d like to partners with the Government of PNG and the ABG in the referendum process.

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POPUI ON CENTRAL BOUGAINVILLE SEAT RECOUNT
By Aloysius Laukai

The Buka Police Station Commander, Senior Sergeant John Popui says that Buka Police are preparing for the recount of the Central Bougainville votes as ordered by the National Court recently.
Senior Sergeant made this known to New Dawn FM today saying that POLICE would want the supporters to remain calm and not to cause disturbance during and after the re-count.
He recalled past experiences in which supporters the main Buka/Arawa highway was blocked by candidate supporters at the Red river bridge.
The BSC said that he wants the people to remain calm and wait for the final result at the re-count.

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POPUI ON CENTRAL BOUGAINVILLE SEAT RECOUNT
By Aloysius Laukai

The Buka Police Station Commander, Senior Sergeant John Popui says that Buka Police are preparing for the recount of the Central Bougainville votes as ordered by the National Court recently.
Senior Sergeant made this known to New Dawn FM today saying that POLICE would want the supporters to remain calm and not to cause disturbance during and after the re-count.
He recalled past experiences in which supporters the main Buka/Arawa highway was blocked by candidate supporters at the Red river bridge.
The BSC said that he wants the people to remain calm and wait for the final result at the re-count.

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210218SITUATION TENSE ON THE BORDER BETWEEN SOLOMON ISLANDS AND BOUGAINVILLE
By Aloysius Laukai

Meanwhile, the situation on the border between Solomon islands and Bougainville is very tense after the 29 Bougainvilleans previously apprehended by Solomon Islands Police on Solomon islands waters escaped the Police compound last night.
According to Reports from Solomon Islands, they were apprehended but not arrested or charged.
According to a SIBC reporter, they got out of the Police compound last night and they have not located their whereabouts.

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