Miriori warns Bougainvilleans about the promised K1billion by PNG Prime Minister James Marape
Bougainvilleans have been warned not be fooled by PNG about the promised K1billion for the next 10 years.
"First of all, PNG is flat broke to be able to afford giving away this kind of money to Bougainville at K100million every year for the next 10 years.
“This is just a public relations stunt by the Prime Minister at this time on the eve of the referendum in an attempt to divert our people's attention and main focus in voting for independence, which is of course this trick will simply not work", Mr Miriori said.
"How is PNG going to give Bougainville K1billion?" the former BIG/BRA Secretary and International Spokesman Mr Martin Miriori asked. Mr.
"PNG was just in the news last week asking Australia for money. "PNG was also in the news recently seeking loans from international banks
"PNG continues to export billions of kina in oil and gas without even paying their own traditional landowners, the rightful royalty payments in the Highlands, leading to bloodshed from inter tribal conflicts and leading to mass murder of innocents by their own people.
"The people of PNG in the Highlands have their own serious problems with weapons and significant land order crisis.
"PNG is still under obligation of the structural adjustment loans to the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund approved in the 1990s during the Bougainville crisis. "Let us not forget that PNG is practically broke.
Mr Miriori further remarked that PNG's currency crashed during the Bougainville crisis and PNG was forced to borrow money from international banks to float the kina. He said the economy of PNG is owned by international corporations, which are taking their resources and paying money owed to the banks.
"The new Prime Minister is making promises he cannot keep to his own people, let alone to people of Bougainville."
“Every Prime Minister before James Marape has left office as a millionaire. The corruption they have fostered in the last three decades has benefited their own pockets and the multinational companies.
“If Bougainvilleans
“Mr Miriori said, the cocoa and copra industry on Bougainville is worth K1billion if developed to it former glory days.
“The infrastructure that Bougainville needs can be paid for by the people of Bougainville themselves with full independence.
“PNG promise of K1billion can only be realistic if it is actually coming from Canberra out of annual “grant free” loan paid to PNG.
“Also politically, while reading between the line, the other implication of the promised K1billion is that the Prime Minister wishes that Bougainville will still remain part of PNG for at least the next 10 years even after the referendum when our people clearly vote for independence.
“Therefore, let us not be misled and fooled by the false promise of this K1billion to divert our attention and main focus in voting for our independence that we truly and rightfully deserve for our people.
“So there was really nothing much by the way of the political future of Bougainville after independence referendum vote in the Prime Minister’s speech in ABG Parliament last week, except its major emphasis was giving Bougainville more powers by way of raising own revenue. This is nothing more than trying to water down the real aspirations of our people and achieving our goa of independence for Bougainville.
“In this regard, Bougainville will definitely need a new blood and decisive leadership during next year’s election in June so that our people can be freed once and for all within the shortest time possible after the referendum and negotiations upon signing the treaty following ratification”, Mr Miriori said.
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