Transcript
TIM MASIU: The Prime Minister replied and said because they are not ready with some of the issues to be discussed during the JSB that's why they continue not to have it. It was raised in the ABG parliament yesterday [Tuesday] by one of the members. And it's the same thing - they are just waiting for the national government. The ABG is ready, but we still don't know what is going through the national government's mind, and the Prime Minister is supposed to be the one who is giving the green light for the JSB to take place. But he assured me and the people of Bougainville that the JSB would be held.
DON WISEMAN: One of these sticking points is the question of just what the question in the referendum will be. And I think Mr O'Neill has alluded to that in parliament hasn't he? Both sides can't on this. So I guess it is all very well to say that Bougainville is quite clear on what it wants to do but it's got to compromise.
TM: yes the question is a very important area in deciding on what question, and what questions not to be asked, and what questions to be asked. Nowthe Prime Minister answered my question in parliament and said he was given four questions by the technical team, the government technical team, and he threw it back to them and them he only wants one question. I am not really sure about that, but, question or questions, that is something the Bougainville leaders and the national government will have to decide on that. We still don't know what question it is and it would be interesting to find out from the JSB meeting what questions will be asked and it is something we will negotiate during the meeting.
DW: Over the years Mr O'Neill has made a number of comments about how the PNG constitution doesn't allow for this sort of process, which I think as far as Bougainville is concerned is completely wrong because the Bougainville Peace Agreement has been incorporated into the constitution hasn't it?
TM: My only comment for that is that the change in the constitution to allow for the referendum, part 14 of the constitution, it was done by lawyers, people who are experienced lawyers from both the national governments and the Bougainville ABG, so it was the lawyers who framed this thing up and I cannot see any reason why the Prime Minister is saying that this is unconstitutional. And my other question is why talk about it now, when we are in the process of coming closer to the referendum when you had all the time, you know 'you were Prime Minister for so many years and you should have picked this up long time' and put it out. You know we are only discussing this Bougainville issue right now when it is coming closer to the referendum. So I am at a loss as to why we have not been talking about it much earlier on.
DW: So this JSBB meeting that is critical to the establishment of the Referendum Commission, which will undertake the wholee process - until that happens the whole thing is at a stalemate isn't it? Yet that date, that tentative date of June 15, 2019, it's getting very close and there's no chance that the referendum can be held then, given all these delays - is there?
TM: I think we are seeing it on a more positive angle. We believe the referendum will still go ahead on the 15th June and we are adamant that if the national government comes up with the next JSB date, we won't be hesitating to clear out all of these issues, because the national government is not listening to us, they are trying to prolong the negotiations.[But] we are seeing it from a positive angle.
