Chief secretary: Process begins on power-sharing

THE national government has started a consultative process that will see more power-sharing with increased legislative and service delivery functions passed onto the provinces, The National reports.

Chief secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc told a news conference yesterday that the word autonomy, used by people, was a misrepresentation and that what provinces really want was power-sharing.

He said the consultative process would start today in East New Britain, and then New Ireland and the rest of the country.

He said any legislative amendments to effect changes would most likely be at the end of the year.

Zurenuoc said cabinet had approved a discussion paper on power-sharing between the national and provincial governments.

“This is not the final position of the government.

“The discussion paper outlined many important issues and is intended to stimulate discussion,” he said.

“There have been many calls from provincial governments, in particular New Ireland and East New Britain, for more power and responsibility and, in some cases, greater autonomy.”

He said last June, cabinet resolved that the Bougainville model of autonomy would not be applied to any other province, adding the arrangements for Bougainville was a special case.

“My department has had some discussions with the East New Britain and New Ireland autonomy committees and governments.”

Zurenuoc said the discussion paper raised issues in four broad areas:

*Increased legislative powers and service delivery functions;

*Reforming the public service;

*Greater financial control; and

*Stronger political representation.

He said for the increase legislative powers and service delivery functions, a single administrative process to transfer specific service delivery functions and responsibilities for the national to provincial governments was proposed.

As a counter measure, it was proposed that in some circumstances, powers and functions might be withdrawn from provincial and local level governments if they do not have the capability and capacity.

Zurenuoc said public service reforms must be undertaken to support increased legislative powers and service delivery functions.

He said many provincial governments were seeking greater financial powers and the paper outlined a mechanism that would allow provincial governments to gain more control over recurrent grants.

He said many provincial governments had also sought changes to their political system.

“However, any policy must apply to all provinces; individual governments cannot have their own unique political system.”

The discussion paper also briefly outlined:

*The current situation as well as considering the composition of provincial assembly;

*Direct election of members of the provincial assembly;

*Whether LLGs should be brought under the control of provincial governments;

*Whether the office of the speaker for the provincial assemblies should be created; and

*Should the number of LLGs, and the way they were created, be reviewed.

“It is expected that by next month, the proposal would be finalised for consideration by cabinet.

“Any legislative amendments would most likely be made towards the end of the year,” Zurenuoc said.