Toroama pushes for party-led Bougainville Government
The incoming 5th Autonomous Bougainville Government will have its membership more confined to the Bougainville People’s Alliance Party, with the return of Ishmael Toroama as president-elect for a second term.
President Toroama says this is to ensure non-party membership does not disadvantage the ABG by leaking strategies and confidential government information of its negotiations on independence with the National Government.
The first meeting of the Bougainville House of Representatives is scheduled for October 10.
President Toroama’s Bougainville People’s Alliance Party, is one of two others, which are the New Bougainville Party and the United Bougainville Front, fielding candidates in this year’s election.
The idea of party politics is not as popular in Bougainville as it is on mainland Papua New Guinea.
A seat in the government is recognized and rewarded more to accommodate regional representation, rather than the traditional practice of political alliance.
But speaking to NBC News, over the weekend following his landslide victory, President Toroama says this will all change in the 5th Autonomous Bougainville Government that will be installed in the coming fortnight.
Supporting the move by the president, the Member for Tonsu, and Attorney General and Justice and Independence Mission Implementation Minister in the last government, Ezekiel Masatt, says a good number of the Bougainville People’s Alliance have been returned in this election, which should enable the constitution of an individual-party-led government.
Writs for the election will be returned to Speaker of the Bougainville House of Representatives on Monday October 6, and a caretaker government, comprising the president, vice president and woman member will also be announced then.
All elected members will be sworn into office on Thursday October 10, following the inauguration of the 5th Bougainville Parliament.
Regional Parliamentary Committees are then expected to go into caucus to suggest members to the president to be considered in the formation of the Bougainville Executive Council, with full membership of the cabinet expected thereafter.
With an increase of seats in the Bougainville House of Representatives from 40 to 45 there’s indications the 14-seat Bougainville Executive Council might also increase.