Demands for Momis to Resign

Demands by the ex-combatants for Autonomous Bougainville Government President Chief Dr John Momis to resign has been deemed as undemocratic.

President Momis said that though the ex-combatants, led by former Bougainville Revolutionary Army commanders, Ishmael Toroama, Sam Kauona and Thomas Tari could voice their concerns on the government’s priorities on development, demanding his resignation without due cause cannot justify their demand.

This ultimatum was issued through a letter to the President questioning his ability to act in the best interest of Bougainville while outlining certain ABG ventures that it deemed were an utter failure and that if answers provided by President as unsatisfactory would warrant his removal from the Presidency.

“The ABG has already explained the dealings questioned by the ex-combatants clearly and concisely so what is the criteria that warrants me to resign as President,” President Momis said.

“As the democratically elected leader of Bougainville what criteria justifies their demands for me to resign, without properly assessing the government’s development priorities before leveling accusations against me as head of the Autonomous Bougainville Government,” the President added.

President Momis declared that his government has done more in terms of development of infrastructure and policies in Bougainville than the last government.

He said though there were constraints within the Public Service and the ABG’s financial capacity the government had done all it can to strengthen Bougainville’s drive to reckoning its political destiny through and through.

The President’s sentiments are evident through the stability within the government and its development capacity during the last five years of the Momis Administration.

In the last 5 years of President Momis’ tenure as ABG President there has been an improvement in relations with the National Government with the President negotiating the K500 million Special Intervention Fund from the Somare Government, rescoping the ABG’s priorities on Mining and initiating important legislations.

With the ABG elections looming the President said if they really desired a change in the leadership in Bougainville then he encouraged them to partake in the elections where he said offers a level play ground for them all.

“The people will then decide on who they want as their leaders to lead Bougainville,” President Momis said.

By Anthony Kaybing, New Dawn Bougainville