Responsibility is on Bougainvilleans to contribute to the Constitution

Bougainvilleans in Lae, Morobe Province, were thrilled to welcome their President, Ishmael Toroama, who arrived at the Lae Botanical Gardens on Saturday, June 15th, accompanied by a singsing group from Butibam village. President Toroama’s visit was part of the Bougainville Foundation Day celebrations, previously known as ARoB Day, and primarily to conduct the second phase of consultations with the Bougainville Constitutional Planning Commission.

The consultations, aimed at discussing the first draft of Bougainville’s “homegrown constitution,” began in Port Moresby on Friday, June 14th, and continued until Monday, June 17th. In Lae, the consultations ran from Sunday, June 16th, to Wednesday, June 19th. President Toroama emphasized the importance of all Bougainvilleans reviewing the first draft and providing feedback for the second draft of the constitution.

Highlighting the historical context, Toroama spoke about the steadfastness of Bougainville’s past leaders during Papua New Guinea’s independence and the symbolic significance of Bougainville’s flag. He reiterated the Bougainville Peace Agreement, signed on August 30th, 2001, which has guided the region through its pillars of autonomy, weapons disposal, and a referendum on political status.

Toroama praised the adherence to the peace agreement, which led to the 2019 non-binding independence referendum where 97.7% of Bougainvilleans voted for independence. He urged everyone to take responsibility by contributing to the constitution for an independent Bougainville.