Pacific

Bougainville leader says people will not accept PNG cuts

12:52 pm on 27 November 2015

The president of the autonomous Bougainville Government says the people are angry at cuts to the region's allocations from the Papua New Guinea national government.

With the PNG economy dipping dramatically due to the commodities slump, the national government announced budget cuts, including what it gives to Bougainville.

The office of prime minister Peter O'Neill says Bougainville still gets more than any other province, but the Bougainville president John Momis says this is quite wrong.

He also says the Bougainville spending is constitutionally guaranteed under the Peace Agreement and the reduction is sparking anger among Bougainvilleans.

"Especially at the injustice of it all and remember Bougainville Copper - not only from the mine itself, Bougainville also the biggest cocoa producer in Papua New Guinea - one province, and copra. The contribution that Bougainville has made to Papua New Guinea is immense. And this is the kind of treatment that they want to dish out to Bougainville and the people will not accept this."

President John Momis says the ABG is intending to take the matter to the Supreme Court.