16 Jun 2006

Bougainville government asks PNG for more powers

3:15 pm on 16 June 2006

The Autonomous Bougainville Government, which has just celebrated its first year in office, has called on the Papua New Guinea Government to hand over more powers over the next 12 months.

These will include the right to oversee activities such as mining, forestry and fisheries.

The move would allow the ABG to chart its own development goals including any the decision on whether to re-open the Panguna mine.

Our correspondent in Port Moresby Alex Rheeney, says the request is in line with peace agreement's arrangements on the transfer of powers.

"So what has happened is the Bougainville Executive Council, or the Bougainville Cabinet, has invoked section 290 of the PNG Constitution which allows for those powers to be transferred to the Bougainville government administration. So the PNG government has 12 months to get that done."