Civil Administration Reform: Bougainville Peace Agreement

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Civil Administration Reform: Bougainville Peace Agreement

Implementations

Civil Administration Reform – 2001

The autonomy provision in the peace agreement gave the proposed Autonomous Bougainville Government every power, including the power to establish its own public service and civil administration. The implementation of this provision, however, cannot be ascertained without the implementation of the autonomy provision in the agreement.

Civil Administration Reform – 2002

On January 23, 2002, the PNG Parliament unanimously passed the constitutional amendments related to Bougainville. Both sides of the House were united to ensure that the proposed legislation, giving more autonomy to the Bougainville Government, remained on track for the final reading in March. The amendment also allowed for a referendum on independence to be held within 10 to 15 years.1 Bougainville effectively had power over its own police, courts, public service, and taxation as of January 2002.2

There remained much needed reforms and the delegation of power from the PNG Government. On November 13, 2002, the Bougainville Governor, John Momis, warned the Papua New Guinea Government that a continuing decline in public services on Bougainville was jeopardizing the peace process. The peace agreement promised improvements in services such as power and health, but the administration only received a fraction of what it needed to implement improvements.3 PNG inter-government minister, Sir Peter Barter, said that the decline in services on Bougainville was in part due to a public service that was too big.4

  1. “Papua New Guinea: Bougainville bill clears first hurdle,” BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific, January 24, 2002.
  2. “Papua New Guinea to Grant Autonomy,” Associated Press Online, January 23, 2002.
  3. “Bougainville governor warns poor services threaten peace process,” BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, November 13, 2002.
  4. “PNG minister says Bougainville public service needs to be cut,” United News of Bangladesh, November 19, 2002.

Civil Administration Reform – 2003

The status of public services remained a very important issue among Bougainville leaders. Bougainville leaders asked the relevant authorities to immediately deal with the “shattered state of the public service on the island” before the formation of Autonomous Bougainville Government. North Bougainville MP James Togel said, “only a minority of employees in the public sector were dedicated to their jobs; others were not and that was unfair to public servants in other provinces.”1 Bougainville reportedly had more than 300 public servants; most of them were ghost names. However, shortly thereafter, the Bougainville Interim Government approved a reduction in the size of Bougainville public services.2

  1. “Buka’s laid-back public service is annoying,” PNG Post-Courier, January 22, 2003.
  2. “B’ville cuts back on cost, public servants to be retrenched,” PNG Post-Courier, January 24, 2003.

Civil Administration Reform – 2004

On 14 January 2004, the National Government handed over the Constitution to the Autonomous Bougainville Government in Arawa.1 The new Autonomous Bougainville Constitution includes the establishment and functioning of a public services commission. As part of the public service reform initiative, administrator Peter Tsiamalili, “said the size of the Bougainville public service will be slashed from the present 600 to 300 before the end of the year, adding that out of that one third will be based at the provincial headquarters and two thirds in the districts.”2

  1. “Papua New Guinea government hands over Bougainville constitution,” BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific, January 17, 2005.
  2. “BÕville workforce to be downsized,” PNG Post-Courier, September 13, 2004.

Civil Administration Reform – 2005

No further developments observed.

Civil Administration Reform – 2006

No further developments observed.

Civil Administration Reform – 2007

No further developments observed.

Civil Administration Reform – 2008

No further developments observed.

Civil Administration Reform – 2009

No further developments observed.

Civil Administration Reform – 2010

No further developments observed.