The parliament in Bougainville is to meet this afternoon to consider whether to extend a state of emergency put in place to keep the autonomous region in Papua New Guinea, free of Covid-19.
Bougainville's Minister for Peace Agreement Implementation, Albert Punghau Photo: supplied
If there is an extension, the election for the autonomous Bougainville Government will also be put back, according to the Minister for Peace Agreement Implementation, Albert Punghau.
That poll was due to get underway by early June but the issuing of the writs was delayed.
President John Momis had been seeking a delay as he tries to win court backing allowing him to stand in the polls.
Currently Bougainville presidents are restricted to two terms but Mr Momis argues this is a denial of his constitutional and human rights.
Mr Momis is due have his case heard by the court on Thursday.
While there are no cases of Covid-19 on Bougainville, neighbouring East New Britain had been shut down after the first confirmed case there.
Meanwhile the Post Courier newspaper reported the Bougainville state of emergency controller, Francis Tokura, saying there was an urgent need for a police presence to control people crossing the border from Solomon Islands.
He said both the Papua New Guinea and Bougainville governments needed bigger boats to patrol the coastline of central and south Bougainville.
