98% vote for independence

Stuff reports:

The South Pacific region of Bougainville voted overwhelmingly to become the world’s newest nation by gaining independence from Papua New Guinea, results showed Wednesday.

Bougainville Referendum Commission Chairman Bertie Ahern was cheered when he announced that more than 98 per cent of valid ballots favoured independence.

It will take some years to negotiate and implement but I look forward to Bougainville becoming the 207th nation state.