Transcript
SIR JULIUS CHAN: Very simple. Because I think we run our province better than a national government intervention.
DON WISEMAN: And how different would it be if you guys were running it?
JC: Well we are very clear on exactly where we want to go, how fast we want to go and what we want to achieve and our priorities are somewhat different to the kind of priorities of the national government and ours is contained in the Malagan Declaration which is the spiritual document pointing the way for the future of New Ireland and it reads something like we want to transform New Ireland province into a self-reliant, autonomous, part of Papua New Guinea but efficient, market-oriented and internationally competitive.
DW: The Malagan document: is that something Waigani has bought into?
JC: Far from it, no. That is home-grown in New Ireland and that was done within 100 days of my taking office in the 2007 national elections. That 100 days summit in Kavieng which is the provincial headquarters. Quite a number of very distinguished people, from New Ireland. New Irelanders themselves and others from around the country and the world, attending this summit and contributed to the crafting of the Malagan Declaration. So we are very clear. We have a clear vision and we know we have dreams and we know how fast and how far we have to go in New Ireland to transform New Ireland into a self-reliant, autonomous part of Papua New Guinea
DW: Yet when you look at what's happened in Bougainville it hasn't exactly been an easy ride, has it?
JC: Completely different situation altogether. Bougainville was fighting for independence. We're not fighting for independence at all. We are really adopting what is provided for in the constitution and our second goal of our national constitution and directive principles, we, and I was there at the time, we declared our second goal to be for all citizens to have an equal opportunity to participate, benefit from the development of our country. Equal opportunity. That is the emphasis and then further on the goals also called for the creation of political structures that will enable effective, meaningful participation and also recognising that in view of the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of our people - over 800 languages as you know - for those structures must provide for substantial decentralisation of all forms of government activity. So are we clear on that definition, that we are on the same gear and at the same speed as provided for in our constitution?
DW: And you have been talking about this pretty much I think since 2008, making public statements, so you must have had some feedback from Port Moresby. What are they saying?
JC: You don't hear very much from Port Moresby when you try to talk about something serious. They just go to sleep on it and we have been sleeping on these things now since 2008. When I set up the autonomy committee we went around the whole of New Ireland. Can I just draw you away a little bit from your question and say to you that New Ireland in one part of New Hanover asked for complete independence from Papua New Guinea in 1963, well before we gained our independence in '75 and that thinking also transcends across some other islands of New Ireland so when we talk about autonomy that's really something in between and more in the upper level of cohesiveness with the national government. Your question is, what does Waigani think? well I don't know. Because we have submitted everything. By the way, just to show you my frustration, we have not only asked for it, we have prepared the amendment to the Constitution and the amendment to the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government, and submitted four years ago. Talked to the prime minister constantly. Waigani has different priorities - it is certainly not New Ireland priorities.
DW: So what happens then, if you are unable to deliver it?. If Waigani says no, what do you do?
JC: Well they have just got to learn to know. Co-operation works both ways.
DW: You will do it anyway, you mean?
JC: Well it is provided for in the Constitution and constitutionally, we are in tune with the mother law of the country, so whether Waigani want to be, at what rate, at what speed, is their business. I have my responsibility to to take New Ireland on, full gear forward and not waiting for Waigani to respond.
DW: Now the country celebrates independence on Friday. How does something like this relate to the independence for the country, in your view?
JC: I think it resonates, very much in tune with independence. What is independence? Let's say - my definition of independence is freedom. Freedom is very simple. Freedom is the right of every person in a country to be the best they can be. It is the right of every person to realise their full potential so I this is somewhat in unison with the celebration of our 41 years of independence.