Father Simon Dumarinu Photo: Autonomous Bougainville Government
The President of Bougainville, Ishmael Toroama, says the death of MP, Father Simon Dumarinu, is a great loss for the region.
The Central Bougainville MP in the Papua New Guinea National Parliament passed away last Friday.
Toroama said the Catholic priest was a prominent spiritual leader in Bougainville communities and in his political career he was a leader who lived a life bound by duty to his people and faith.
Toroama called him a great man who not only understood his people but shared with them their struggles and triumphs.
"I pay tribute to Father Simon for his devotion to serving our people and spreading the word of God during the Bougainville Crises. During this troubled time, he used his ministry as a priest to offer comfort, inspiration and spiritual guidance to many of our people and our leaders," the president said.
He said the launching of the "Central Bougainville Five-Year Development Plan two months ago by Prime Minister James Marape, myself and the late Father Simon was a key initiative by him to pave the way forward through empowered service delivery".
"I am truly saddened that his untimely passing comes at a time when he was about to implement his plans for developing Central Bougainville."