-Federal system a top priority for Atu government
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Premier of Guadalcanal Province, William Atu, has reaffirmed his government’s firm commitment to pursuing a federal or state system of governance, declaring it a key priority policy under his leadership.
He made the assurance in a recent statement, emphasising that the goal is not about division, but rather about fairness, unity, and ensuring an equitable share of natural resource benefits for Guadalcanal and all provinces.
“This is not about division, it is about fairness.
“It is about ensuring that Guadalcanal Province, like every other province, receives an equitable share of the benefits from our natural resources,” Premier Atu stated.
He said the push for statehood is rooted in the spirit of mutual respect, a value deeply embedded in both cultural traditions and the national constitution.
“Respect for life, land and property is a fundamental value of our culture and constitution.
Our goal is to responsibly manage our resources and guarantee that our people benefit fairly from them and to cater for our growing future generations,” said the premier.
Atu also voiced strong support for the national government’s move to reintroduce the Constitution Amendment (Constituent Assembly) Bill 2024, a legislative step critical to the federal reform agenda.
“I commend Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele and the Government for National Unity and Transformation (GNUT) for prioritising this very important bill,” he said.
Atu added that he was encouraged by the Prime Minister’s reaffirmation of the federal system as a national priority during a press conference held in April this year.
“I believe they are taking this forward in the coming parliament sittings,” he said.
The Premier’s renewed call for federalism comes amid increasing public debate over resource ownership, provincial autonomy, and the need to reform the current centralized governance model.
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