Bougainville - Kabui takes over B'ville Congress Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - VIKKI@law.uts.edu.au Sun Jun 6 22:34:27 1999 The Independent - 4 June 99 Former premier Kabui takes leadership of Bougainville Congress by VERONICA HATUTASI WORKING together with a spirit of trust, understanding and cooperation will see the way forward for the newly formed Bougainville Congress in its endeavour to find a lasting peaceful resolution to the conflict on the island, according to the newly elected members. The message was repeatedly echoed by Bougainville leaders during the swearing in ceremony of executives to the Bougainville People's Congress (BPC), an elected reconciliation body whose task is to lay the foundation of a proper (Bougainville) government later this year apart from its day to day governing of the province's affairs and overseeing the progress of the peace, reconciliation and reconstruction processes. Former BRA/BIG front man and co-chairman of the Bougainville Constituent Assembly and also former Bougainville premier prior to the conflict Joseph Kabui was voted president, winning by an overwhelming majority of 77 votes to defeat his nearest rival and counterpart co-chairman and premier since 1997 until early this year, Gerard Sinato who mastered only 10 votes. Mr Kabui heads the Congress executive which in the final analysis will have 36 members comprising of 22 elected members, the four Bougainville national MPs, four women nominated members plus another six who were to be nominated from the BRA and resistance forces this week. The two vice presidents elected to the executive include former deputy premier Thomas Anis, a BTG nominated member and James Tanis from the Telebi constituency in the Bana district of southwest Bougainville. Other capable candidates who stood for the two vice presidency positions were former provincial administrative secretary George Lessi, former South west Interim Authority chairman Nick Peniai and BRA strong man and elected member for Motuna Jonathan Ngati. Mr Kabui called for honesty, understanding, forgiveness and trust among the Congress members in order for the peace and reconciliation process to become a reality. He said Bougainville needed leaders with a vision who could implement them to help people achieve their goals successfully. He said the Congress had now brought together all factions who were at war in the last 10 years by putting aside their differences, and moving forward in a spirit of cooperation, trust and unity. He said his election as president to the BPC is a victory not only for the Bougainville people but for PNG, the region, for democracy, peace, reconciliation and development. Provincial Electoral officer who was in charge of the recent elections Mathias Pihei said the win of the president "was to be expected and the majority of the people are satisfied". He said the main thing is that the people of Bougainville now have some form of elected government in place to act as their mouthpiece in negotiations with the national government. "The main thing is that a Bougainville government body has been formed and everyone on the island is happy that we have some type of government in place which to a larger degree, members have been elected by the people. "Bougainvilleans are proud of the outcome of the elections, a body also envisaged as supporting the peace process and one which will sit down and lay the foundations of a proper Bougainville government. The proper government election will be conducted under the supervision of the Electoral Commission sometime this year, " Mr Pihei said. The election exercise which cost more than K50,000 generally went smoothly except for the funding aspect which faced some minor huddles due to the government cash-flow problems and delay by leaders as a result of disagreement between them. This resulted in the increase of polling teams in order to meet the deadline. Other members of the Congress executive include: Speaker Linus Konukung and deputy Tom Puaria, Taehu Pais and Michael Titus representing the Atolls, Thomas Anis, George Lessi, Dennis Sareke, Richard Lyons and Uzziah Toukes for Buka district, Joseph Watawi, Gerard Sinato and Gabriel Spae for Selau/Suir, Michael Piriri and James Taraisi for Torokina, Joe Pais, Thomas Keriri, Linus Dake and David Sisito for Central Bougainville, Jonathan Ngati, Albert Punghau and Nick Peniai for Siwai, William Lavabua, Tony Siona and James Tanis for Bana, the four women appointees including Lucy Morris and Geneive Pisi representing the Bougainville Freedom Movement while Theresa Jaintong and Elizabeth Burain represent the Provincial Council of Women. Six more will be appointed from the BRA and resistance groups. * USA contributes towards Bougainville restoration and development by Veronica Hatutasi THE government of the United States of America supports the restoration of peace and development on Bougainville as indicated recently by its injection of a funding package of US$450,000 (K1,035,000) for the programs. The programs initiated last year by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is to support the reconciliation and peace process through rehabilitation, reconstruction and development activities that reduce poverty, restore basic conditions for economic growth, stability and enabling an environment for sustainable human development. An initial UNDP investment of US$2 million (K4.6 million) geared towards cocoa and coconut rehabilitation which got the project off the ground last year, is proving very successful. The Cocoa Industry Board, Department of Agriculture and Livestock and the provincial administration are working in conjunction with UNDP on small holder family oriented projects which the community and young people on the island are fully involved in. The success of this program has satisfied UNDP and last month, it gave its second lot of funding to extensively continue the cocoa rehabilitation program. Last week saw the signing of an agreement towards working together collaboratively on development programs on Bougainville between the USA and UNDP. The signing of the funding agreement was done in Port Moresby between the US Ambassador to PNG Arma Jane Karaer and Resident Coordinator of the UN and UNDP Elizabeth Reid. Ms Karaer said part of the funding amounting to US$150,000 (K4258,571.43) will go towards the preparation and conducting of elections on Bougainville later this year. The US government chose to become partners with UNDP due to the fact that it does not have a bilateral program in the South Pacific, after scraping it off a few years ago. Its (US government) contribution will support the following areas of the Bougainville program: Cocoa rehabilitation and development will focus on small holder farmers who will be provided with improved planning materials, extensions and training services; Youth development and training programs alongside creation of job opportunities in rehabilitation and reconstruction work for them; and Community development with the aim of supporting communities to reestablish basic services, develop small business skills and enterprises and promote sustainable community self reliance. Fred Terry who is the UNDP Program Manager will head a UNDP Bougainville Program office in Arawa to coordinate the activities and projects which will be implemented under the program. In other related developments, the New Zealand government has made available NZ$1.9 million (K2.28 m) for the funding of telephone installation on Bougainville. Telikom PNG will work in conjunction with a New Zealand company, Consultel for the installation and maintenance of the equipment. Phase one of the project will cost NZ$1.2 million (K1.44 m) and it involves the installation of telephones in Arawa, Tinputz, Torokina, Wakunai, Buin, Tonu, Sovele and Paruparu. Phase two of the project will be carried out either by this year's end or early next year. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytpac-06.08.99-02:02:15-29432