Marape: provinces must earn autonomy

Prime Minister James Marape reiterated the need for financial autonomy for provinces seeking functional autonomy.

He says if provinces want autonomy, they need to generate their own money within and not seek funding from the national government.

Presently, East New Britain, New Ireland and Enga are provinces leading the provincial autonomy arrangement:

The PM commended the East New Britain provincial government for leading in the space of an autonomous government, adding an announcement for those to be fully autonomous will be made on the country's 50th Independence anniversary, on 16 September.

Mr. Marape added he was conscious of the current Bougainville referendum and its push for Independence, and that there is no confusion between the two.

He was responding to East New Britain Provincial MP Michael Marum's question on his province's call for autonomy.