New Ireland Province Autonomy, Not a Bad Idea
TUKUL WALLA KAIKU Contrary to what we may think, the call for autonomy for New Ireland is not a new one. To date there have been two calls for autonomy for New Ireland, the recent being the call since Sir Julius Chan assumed governorship of the New Ireland Province after the 2007 national elections and an earlier call of the 1960s up to the 1980s. There was in fact an earlier move for autonomy for New Ireland and in particular for New Hanover Island. That call took place in 1964 and continued up to the 1980s. The people behind it were three quarters of mostly those from the south, east and some parts of the north side of New Hanover Island who in the 1964 elections voted for President Johnson of America. The people wanted to be heard and understood and they wanted development for New Hanover. The type of development they wanted was that of a technologically innovative and advanced country like the United States and hence they wanted the United States to administer