Pacific Briefs

Independence vote for Bougainville

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PIR) — Government officials said the province of Bougainville will get a vote on independence, although it won’t be for at least another 10 years.

The decision was reached after negotiations at Kokopo in northeastern Papua New Guinea between the PNG government and Bougainville leaders, Radio Australia reports.

The PNG government will allow a referendum that would include the contentious independence question, source said.

The proposal, however, still has to be approved by a two-thirds majority of the PNG parliament.

Kiribati president seeking forum venue

TARAWA, Kiribati (PIR) — President Teburoro Tito is surveying the heads of Pacific Islands Forum countries to seek their views about where to have this year’s Forum meeting.

Tito, chairman of the Forum, said he will make a final venue decision only after he receives all the responses from Forum members.

Australia and New Zealand oppose Fiji’s bid to hosting the meeting. New Zealand is pushing Niue to host the meeting.

The issue resulted from the ouster of the democratically elected Peoples Coalition government following Fiji’s May 19 coup.

Malaitans warn oil prospectors

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (PIR) — A delegation representing residents in Malaita province are demanding that investors who want to prospect for oil in the area to first educate citizens about the environmental impact of any proposed development.

The chairman of the delegation, Dick Daoleni, said citizens must first understand the impacts an oil industry operation would have on the community.

The demand was made in the wake of the government’s policy of welcoming more manufacturing and mineral resource development business ventures.

PNG pushes to preserve forests

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PIR) — Papua New Guinea will push for compensation at various international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly, for the preservation of its natural rainforest.

Parliament Speaker and acting Governor General Bernard Narokobi made the comment after returning from the 9th annual Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum in Chile, South America.

The forum brought together world leaders to discuss issues affecting the region with the aim of promoting peace, cooperation and economic development.

“Since other countries have depleted their forests, the world should compensate Papua New Guinea for keeping its forests alive and releasing carbon dioxide and helping to keep the world’s population alive,” he said.