ANTHONY KAYBING
| Office of the ABG President
BUKA – Bougainville president Ishmael Toroama will confer with Papua New Guinea prime minister James Marape at the Bougainville pre-joint supervisory body meeting in Port Moresby next Monday.
The meeting is a prelude to a formal proper JSB meeting scheduled for 30 November 30 in Kokopo, East New Britain.
The two leaders are to begin discussions emanating from last year’s referendum as well as determining fiscal arrangements for Bougainville including the outstanding restoration and development grants.
Bougainville government departments have already begun preliminary work on the agenda for the full joint supervisory body at the end of the month.
President Toroama is adamant that the meeting with Marape will yield positive results as the two leaders progress dialogue.
Toroama’s will address matters relating to the economy, resource development and the drawdown of powers.
Toroama will also meet with several diplomatic missions and with the PNG Ombudsman in Port Moresby, Richard Pagen, to discuss furthering the establishment of an Ombudsman Commission in Bougainville.
The president’s has made clear his determination to combat corruption in Bougainville and the meeting with the Ombudsman marks his concern about the issue.