The Governor of the Papua New Guinea island of Bougainville is criticising the New Zealand police for allowing a roadblock to prevent payments reaching community police in south Bougainville.
Members of the anti-autonomy Mekamui Defence Force, led by Francis Ona, have maintained a roadblock at Aropa, south of Arawa, for months.
Bougainville governor John Momis says the roadblock, which Bougainville leaders have failed to have removed, targets police movement only and provincial authorities and others are not affected.
Governor Momis says it's meant police in Buin, in south Bougainville, are not being paid.
"Our community police have not been paid because they are being paid by the New Zealand Government, with funds controlled by the New Zealand Police, and they won't send the money to the community police unless they travel by road themselves. They refuse to go by plane, by chopper, which I don't agree with by the way. I don't think they should be using the roadblock as a reason not to pay people who are justly entitled."
Mr Momis says the New Zealand police are probably using the issue to get the roadblock removed, but there are other ways of reaching Buin, and it's unfair to the hardworking community police.
