PM Marape: PNG to pay K621 million owing to Bougainvill
February 7th 2021
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape says the Government is committed towards fully retiring the K621 million owed to Bougainville in Restoration Development Grants (RDG).
He also reiterated his Government’s commitment to give a separate K100 million every year to Bougainville in Special Infrastructure Funds.
PM Marape announced this at the end of the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting in Arawa on Friday (Feb 5th 2021).
It is among nine resolutions of the JSB.
“The outstanding of K621 million in Restoration Development Grants (RDG) has been outstanding for the last 18, 19 or so years,” he said.
“This JSB affirmed, without any shadow of doubt, that the K621 million – confirmed by an independent United Nations’ assessment – is the actual amount owed by the PNG Government to Bougainville in as far as the 2001 Peace Agreement is concerned.”
PM Marape stressed that this was different from the K100 million per year commitment by his Government in 2019 for development of key infrastructure on Bougainville.
“We will deliver (K100 million annually) from 2020 going on to 2030,” he said.
“For this, I commend President Toroama and his ministers, and my Ministers.”
PM Marape said money should not be seen as an issue in view of the wider perspective of Bougainville.
“There is a need to bridge the emotional divide, the spiritual divide, the social divide,” he said.
“This needs to take place in a region that flourishes with enabling infrastructure to support Bougainville to go into the future.
” In that context, we make clarity on the K100 million commitment by National Government to build infrastructure, going forward until 2030.
” At the very earliest, the outstanding K621 million will be reimbursed to Bougainville. “
PM Marape also said the Autonomous Bougainville Government wanted a sovereign guarantee for a loan, something that Bougainville and PNG treasuries were working on.
