1 Apr 2016

Bougainville plea to PNG over funding ignored

12:01 pm on 1 April 2016
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Photo: Wellington Chocolate Factory

Despite complaining about ongoing underfunding, the president of the autonomous Bougainville government says he is still to hear from the Papua New Guinea prime minister.

President John Momis wrote to Prime Minister Peter O'Neill a month ago to remind him that Bougainville is owed hundreds of millions of dollars in constitutionally guaranteed funding.

He said the non payment has severely curtailed the region's development and was impacting on his administration's ability to meet its day to day expenses.

Mr Momis admitted that court action over the matter remains an option.

"We are going to have another attempt to talk to him," said Mr Momis. "If we are left we no feasible option to secure our funds then we will seriously consider going to court."

President Momis said his region was owed at least US$33 million dollars from the recurrent unconditional grant and more than US$200 million under the Restoration and Development Grant set up by the Peace Agreement in 2001.

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