Bougainville sovereign powers

The recently signed Melanesian Relationship Agreement with the National Government will allow Bougainville to exercise some sovereign powers, while full adoption of these powers, which defines only a sovereign territory, can be assumed on independence.

ABG Attorney General, Ezekiel Masat clarified this with NBC Bougainville News following the signing last week Thursday in Port Moresby.

The signing commits the National Parliament and the Bougainville House of Representatives, the two legislatures, to start work on an agreed, Sessional Order that would provide the pathway for the the Referendum result and accompanying documents, like the Consultations Report and a Bi-Partisian Parliamentary Committee on Bougainville awareness report, to be tabled in the National Parliament to be dealt with.

The Melanesian Relationship Agreement also committed to the immediate tabling of the 97.7 percent Referendum result before the National Parliament.

Critics have watered down the signing, alleging that nothing substantial has been reached to progress Bougainville's Independence Agenda.

However, speaking to NBC Bougainville News, Attorney General, Ezekiel Masat further clarified that the joint agreement will also allow Bougainville to start exercising some sovereignty powers, agreed on by the two governments.

Massat says, the joint signing progresses the Bougainville agenda and a step closer to reality and he's content with the progress.