Transcript
A team formed by Bougainville's government is starting work on gauging public views on which issues the governments should address.
To that end, the Autonomous Bougainville Government, which is expected to soon morph into a transitional administration, has compiled a 56-member forum to consult with the public in coming weeks.
The forum is comprised of individuals from women groups, youths, former combatants from the Bougainville civil war, national and regional elected representatives.
Church leaders like Father Simon Dumarinu are also in the mix.
He says there are a lot of legal and practical matters for the two governments to work through.
"We'll be talking to Moresby about a transition. A transition period, that is going to be between the two governments - looking at how long it may take, the period of time."
He says that it's expected that negotiations between the two governments will begin after the work of the consultation forum, although a date has not been given.
However, another member of the consultation team, Lawrence Matau, who is a representative of former combatants, says according to government officials in Bougainville, ratification should take place between 2021 and mid-2022 when PNG's next general elections are scheduled.
"This is a very critical time now in the political process for Bougainville's independence. we need to maintain peace and lkeep everyone together, so that we give freedom and enough time for our leaders to consult on the ratification."
Mr Matau says as part of the ongoing consultation process, outside interests also have a role.
He has mooted the idea of a summit later this year to examine Bougainville's economic viability.
"Chinese, Europeans, New Zealanders, Australians, they must come and give us their view of how they see the economy in Bougainville, what is the potential that they can offer us, so our government or our people can be in a better position to decide how do we go about fishing, how do we go about mining, how do we go about what we've all signed up to."
Mr Matau cited names of various foreign mining companies with interests in Bougainville, saying they would also be welcome to participate.
He says reopening the long-mothballed Panguna copper mine looms as a natural platform on which to build Bougainville's economic independence.
A group connected with landowners at the Panguna mine remains keen to re-start mining, while the Bougainville Government has plans to change its own Mining Act so its preferred partner can exploit the site.
But Tim Masiu, a PNG cabinet minister who is also MP for South Bougainville, says, for him, mining is a "no go at the moment."
Considering the position of the mine as the flashpoint of Bougainville's civil war, Mr Masiu says he would not like to see mining started again in Bougainville at this time.
"I would like to see the ABG [Autonomous Bougainville Government] to refocus itself, to re-focus on the land, and develop the land, in agriculture, livestock [and] fisheries and forestry are some of the things that we could be doing. Mining is a lazy way of raising money. It has already brought some problems."
Meanwhile, the PNG and autonomous Bougainville governments are due to meet again next month as the Joint Supervisory Board, the agency which oversees the Bougainville peace process, convenes for the first time since the historic vote.
