Marape challenges O’Neill to a live public debate
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
Marape challenges O’Neill
to a live public debate
PORT MORESBY: Prime Minister James Marape wants the
People’s National Congress (PNC) leader and former prime minister Peter O’Neill
to explain what he had done for Lae and Papua New Guinea during his eight years
(2011 to 2019) in office.
Marape dared O’Neill to
take him on in a live public debate to show what he had delivered as prime
minister.
He issued the challenge
to O’Neill when addressing Pangu Pati supporters in Lae on Friday (May 27,
2022) when launching its General Election 2022 (GE22) campaign of Lae MP and
Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso.
The news break was reported by The National and PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below a few news updates on GE22:
Marape vs O’Neill
May 30, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
He issued the challenge while addressing Pangu Pati supporters in Lae on Friday
(May 27) when launching the 2022 General Election campaign of Lae MP and Deputy
Prime Minister John Rosso.
Marape dared O’Neill to take him on in a live public debate to show what he had
done during his eight-year term.
Marape said he was willing to debate the former prime minister (O’Neill) at
either University of PNG or University of Technology.
“I will bring my three years to the table, O’Neill will bring any three years
to his table, where we will talk about inflation, loans and what we have
achieved.”
Marape asked for PNC to show what they have done for Lae city and the rest of
the country over the last eight years.
“You may have done something in Port Moresby but not in many parts of the
country.”
Marape said in his three years as Prime Minister, inflation was under 5.5 per
cent; over eight years, O’Neill’s inflation was at six to seven per cent.
“Over eight years, he has not given you any tax rebate or support.”
Marape said his Government was now subsidising fuel prices, and over the next
month, prices would start dropping.
He said 10 per cent goods and services tax (GST) on basic items such as soap,
rice, tinned fish and cooking oil would be done away with.
Marape said low wage earners of K17,500 annually and below would have their
income tax done away with.
In response O’Neill said Marape “is simply lost and looking for things to say”.
He added that Pangu Pati had no policies and therefore had nothing to debate.
O’Neill said: “We (PNC Government) have transformed Lae pothole-city into a
cement road city using our local know how to ensure we built roads that can
withstand the heavy rainfall in the city.
“We built a world class port, the four-lane highway to Nadzab Airport, upgrade
and construct Angau Hospital and approved the construction of new Nadzab
Airport upgrade.
“The PNC’s Tuition Fee Free education policy ensured that all children in Lae
were able to have the right to attend school.
“A large part of the PNC strategy was to support mega projects such as the
multi-million Kina Wafi-Golpu mine project and Porgera gold mine to grow the
number of people employed.
“We achieved 99.6 per cent reliability of power supply in Lae and the Ramu Grid
in March 2019 delivering what the community in Lae demanded of us.
“He (Marape) should meet with the closed small business owners in Lae who he
forced into bankruptcy and in doing so, he has made many hardworking people,
unemployed with his mismanagement of the economy.
“He shut down the operating Porgera mine in Enga causing the loss of thousands
of jobs and businesses closing down and costing the economy as a whole, a whopping
K9.3 billion.”
‘Last election’ for
B’ville
May 30, 2022The NationalMain Stories
AUTONOMOUS
Bougainville Government (ABG) President Ishmael Toroama says this general
election will be the final election that Bougainville will take part in.
He said Bougainville was preparing for the final political settlement (not
before 2025 and no later than 2027) in its quest for political independence.
“This election is very crucial to the future of Bougainville and who we elect
as our representatives in the National Parliament will determine our future
based on their loyalty to Bougainville and commitment to serving our wish for
independence that was expressed in the 2019 Bougainville Referendum,” he said.
“I urge every Bougainvillean to look beyond the campaign promises of monetary
gain and delusions of grandeur that is evident during any election.
“We must vote for a person who will represent Bougainville to be the voice of
the ABG and the people in the 11th Parliament of Papua New Guinea.
“I urge you all to vote for a leader who will not compromise our political
resolve for Bougainville; a leader who is not afraid to stand within the halls
of the National Parliament and fight for Bougainville’s independence as a
sovereign nation.
“We need leaders who will not succumb to the pressures of party politics and
comprise Bougainville’s independence aspirations.
“We need leaders who can proudly say the word ‘Independence’ without looking
over their shoulders.
“We must honour the Bougainville Peace Agreement and the memory of the 20,000
lives lost during the Bougainville Civil War by electing leaders who will work
with the ABG and truly represent the felt needs and aspirations of our people.
“I must also remind our people to maintain civility during the election period
and to respect the electoral process.”
Vote Pangu, Marape tells Bougainville
PRIME Minister James
Marape has called on the people of Bougainville to have the 97.7 per cent
referendum result for independence in mind and cast their votes with purpose.
Marape, who is also the Pangu Pati leader, said the two Pangu men and
incumbents Peter Tsiamalili Jnr (Bougainville regional member) and Timothy
Masiu (South Bougainville MP) were the bridge between him and Bougainville that
must not be cut.
He said this when launching the Pangu Pati’s campaign in Bougainville on
Thursday.
He visited Buin, which is the place of Pangu Pati’s first leader Sir Paul Lapun
in 1967, before the official launch in Buka.
He said Tsiamalili and Masiu had stood firm and spoken about the independence
of Bougainville in Parliament and Cabinet respectively hence they were needed
in the cockpit with him (Marape) to steer the Bougainville agenda forward.
“The next five years is very critical to defining the destination of
Bougainville,” he said.
“The talk and wish for independence for Bougainville shown through the ballot
is clear and cannot be removed by Prime Minister or MP.”
PM: Lae must lead the way for a better PNG
Theatre Group
performing during the Pangu Pati rally at Eriku’s Niall Reserve Oval in Lae on
Friday. – Nationalpic by LARRY ANDREW
PRIME Minister and Pangu Pati leader James
Marape says Lae must lead the way for a better Papua New Guinea.
He thanked the people of Lae and Morobe for their continued support of Pangu
and added the elevation of Lae MP John Rosso to Deputy Prime Minister was
well-deserved.
Marape said this on Friday when addressing a crowd of hundreds at Niall Reserve
in Lae who gathered to witness the launching of Rosso’s election campaign. Also
present were Morobe Governor and Pangu deputy leader Ginson Saonu, Nawaeb MP
Kennedy Wenge and Lae community leaders.
“I want the revolution to change the country for the better to start here in
Lae, the home base of Pangu Pati,” Marape said.
“Lae is a major city in the country and you deserve the deputy prime
ministership of the country.
“I am happy to be here today with the Deputy Prime Minister, Governor Saonu,
Wenge, and all the men, women and children of PNG in Lae.
“You all have won my heart by turning up here today in the green colours of
Pangu.
“We are a ‘green army’ ready to revolutionise our country.”
Marape also acknowledged the traditional landowners of Lae, the Ahi people, for
contributing their land towards the development of PNG.
Vehicles torched in
EHP
May 30, 2022The NationalMain Stories
A new dump truck on
fire. – Pictures supplied
EASTERN Highlands
General Election 2022 (GE22) campaign rallies kicked off with frustrated locals
torching five vehicles in Okapa on Friday.
Commander Superintendent Michael Welly said during a rally, the supporters of
candidates pelted each other with stones and burned vehicles.
“We responded immediately after the incident by escorting Okapa MP Saki Soloma
out to safety,” he said.
Welly did not disclose the owners of the vehicles but said those responsible
for the destruction would be dealt with accordingly.
“It is an act of cowardice by some so-called frustrated groups of people in
remote Okapa,” he said.
“If you are not happy and are frustrated at a candidate or any sitting Members
of Parliament (MPs), do not take it personally and burn properties like
vehicles
“Go show your frustrations at the polling booth through your ballots by not
voting for those you are unhappy with.
“We expect people to behave maturely in GE22.
“Violence is not the way to display your frustrations.”
Welly had only a day before applauded the people for maintaining peaceful
nominations for the eight seats in the province at the close on Thursday.
Top cop urges candidates to be mature
By JACINTA COHLEE
ASSISTANT Commissioner
of Police (ACP) for Northern region Peter Guinness has urged candidates in
Morobe and the region to accept criticism during the campaign period.
He said contesting candidates needed to understand that they would be
criticised as this was part of politics.
He added that when criticism was taken personally, or when candidates took
offence to comments by critics or voters, tempers could flare and this could
lead to violence.
“During the campaigning period, there will be a lot of criticism from the
public,” he said.
“Candidates should have thick skins to take the criticism.
“As a leader, accept criticism because it is good too.
“Criticisms weigh on one’s character where a person has to look at his or her
shortcomings and strategise for a better outcome.
“A leader should accept criticism. Once criticised, then, you have to look for
strategies to address the issues.”
Meanwhile, Guinness said there needed to be respect among people.
“Everyone has a freedom of choice and expression in this country.”
Guinness urged people not to disrupt or damage a party or candidate’s campaign
because they had a right to contest and participate in the election.
Two men dead following clash in Morobe’s Huon
Gulf
By JIMMY KALEBE
TWO men are dead
following a confrontation between two groups on the Manum section of the
Highlands Highway in Huon Gulf on Thursday, Morobe commander Superintendent
Jacob Singura says.
“Several other people were injured but we are still unable to confirm whether
the violence was general election-related,” he said.
“We are trying to confirm where the two groups were rival supporters of
election candidates.
“A car was torched and the market houses were also burnt down.”
Singura said he accompanied Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and Northern
Assistant Commissioner Peter Guinness to address the Munum community on Friday.
“The locals agreed to clear the main highway and we assured the community and
both warring sides that this is now a police matter,” he said.
“Investigations are ongoing, the reasons or cause of the violence will be
established and those responsible nabbed.”
Singura said the situation at the moment was tense but police were monitoring
it.
He appealed to both sides to maintain peace and understanding while police
investigated the matter.
“Candidates and their supporters have to respect each other,” he said.
“All campaign programmes have to be carried out peacefully.”
Official: Voting
awareness crucial
May 30, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
NATIONAL Capital
District (NCD) assistant election manager Roselyne Tabogani says that there
will be a one-day polling in the National Capital District on July 6.
“Once we confirm the polling venues, the schedule will be published,” she said
on Friday.
“We want the candidates to work with us and we are emphasising this because we
have been accused of all kinds of things in the past.
“We want this election period to be more transparent.”
Tabogani said there would be a scrutineers’ briefing and also polling and
counting briefings for electoral officials.
She also urged candidates in NCD to educate their supporters on the importance
of limited preferential voting (LPV) during the campaign period.
She said the nomination period had ended on Friday and the next step was for
the candidates to carry out awareness in the respective electorates.
Tabogani said candidates needed to use the opportunity of the campaign period
to inform and educate their people.
“We are encouraging candidates to make use of the awareness materials,
especially posters, from the PNG Electoral Commission to teach their voters,”
she said.
“It’s about the importance of voting the correct way and that awareness must be
carried out by the candidates to help the process.
“I’m mostly encouraging candidates to educate their supporters on voting.
“One person has one ballot paper with three choices so if they work together
they will make their choices among themselves.
“It’s good to teach them because if they don’t vote properly and on the ballot
paper then it would be informal and that’s a waste of time.
“The candidates spend money for campaigning and even the Government spends
money for the elections so if the candidates can teach their supporters it will
go a long way in helping the process.”
21 vying for regional seat
Traditional support …
Dancers dressed in traditional attire welcoming Isaac Ruimb (not in pic) at the
Moresby North East nomination centre at Unagi Oval in Port Moresby on
Wednesday. Ruimb was among 76 candidates vying for the seat, elections
returning officer Billy George said. – Nationalpic by KENNEDY BANI
A TOTAL of 21
candidates, including three women, have nominated to contest the Central
regional seat.
Central returning officer Peter Malaifeope said candidates were given their box
numbers at Bautama on Friday.
“As stated under the organic law, the order of drawing the box numbers should
be conducted after the nomination,” he said.
Malaifeope said the three female candidates were Rufina Peter, Philomena
Kassman and Vavine Dai.
“Among the women candidates, Dai is a successful businesswoman and the owner of
Kone Bada Resort in Boera,” he said.
He wished all candidates the best.
He called for candidates and supporters to respect the rule of law and the
electoral process.
“People should take ownership of this election and assist officers during
polling and counting,” he said.
He said female voters needed to be respected and allowed to cast their votes
without any influence.
Temu drives party’s plans at launching
By AILEEN KWARAGU
OUR Development Party
(ODP) should be in the conversation among the people of Central and the country
as a whole, party founder and Abau MP Sir Puka Temu says.
He said the party was formed in 2010 aimed to uniting the Papuan region and
fighting for what they deserved on the floor of parliament.
He said this during the launch of his campaign for re-election to the Rigo open
seat in Kupiano last week in front of more than 8,000 people.
Sir Puka said as the champion of the country’s public policy and implementation
called Vision 2050, he aimed to promote ODP policies.
“People should understand that a party forms the Government and ODP aims to win
seats in the 2022 general election,” he said.
Sir Puka said they endorsed 10 candidates, including the Central regional seat
and the Rigo Open.
He said their key policies concentrated on faith, family, economic growth and
leadership would enable them to fight for what the people deserved in
parliament if they were elected to the 11th parliament.
Sir Puka called on his people in Abau and Central to support ODP by voting
their candidates and move away from the old political practices.
“Building strong political parties is part of nation building and the formation
of ODP should enable those aspiring politicians to build the party into a major
one,” he said.
Sir Puka, who is the longest serving MP in Southern, said parties like the
current reign of Pangu had served the country without achieving the dreams the
forefathers.
NCD election officials ready for polling,
counting
By JAMIE HARO
NOMINATIONS for all
seats in the National Capital District (NCD) have gone smoothly with no
disruptions, an official says.
NCD election manager Kila Ralai said he was happy with the final process of
nominations on Friday which was the order of draws.
“We all gathered at the Sir John Guise Stadium to have all the order of draws
here,” he said.
Ralai said they started with the NCD regional seat, followed by Moresby South,
Moresby North-West and Moresby North East.
“We are ready to submit all the nominations forms together with candidate
information, party affiliation documents to the Electoral Commission and
concentrate on our preparations for polling and counting,” he said.
The four seats in Port Moresby recorded a total 141 candidates, 30 for NCD
regional, 27 for North-West, 76 for North-East and eight for South.
Ralai confirmed that 11 female candidates were going to contest the four seats.
“We got three female candidates for NCD regional seat, four in Moresby
North-East, three in Moresby North-West and one in Moresby South,” he said.
“There has been an increase, especially for North East and the NCD seats where
figures have increased while North West and South have dropped compared to the
2017 general elections.”
Ralai said campaign has started since the order of draws were completed on
Friday.
Box numbers for NCD regional seat and the other three electorates were drawn on
Friday.
“We still haven’t confirmed where the polling booths will be set up but
hopefully by next month, the assistant returning officer’s (AROs) will be
appointed,” he said.
“My returning officers will confirm and let me know, they will also confirm the
polling sites and then it will be gazetted for public consumption and announced
next month by the Electoral Commission.
“Now the candidates are free to begin their campaigns.”
Morobe official sees rise in women candidates
THE number of women
candidates contesting the 11 seats in Morobe has increased compared to the last
election.
The overall number of candidates also increased.
Morobe election manager Simon Soheke said in 2017, 329 candidates contested the
10 seats and out of that total, 15 were women.
“For this year, the total number of candidates that will be contesting the 11
seats including Wau Waria, is 354 and of that total, 22 were women.”
He said the 22 women would be contesting all the 11 seats, two will contest the
Bulolo seat, Finschhafen one, Huon Gulf two, Markham three, Menyamya one,
Nawaeb six, Tewai Siassi two, WauWaria one and four will contest the Morobe
regional seat.
Soheke said eight of the women candidates were endorsed by a political party
while the others were independents.
Of the total 332 male candidates, 115 were endorsed by a political party and
the rest were independents.
The total number of political parties that fielded candidates was 31.
Unagi’s daughter contesting North-East seat
Diane Unagi (right)
filing her nomination to returning officer Billy George to contest the Moresby
North-East seat with her husband Daniel Koiam by her side. – Nationalpic by
KENNEDY BANI
By HELEN TARAWA
DIANE Unagi, the
daughter of former Moresby North-East MP and Governor David Unagi, says there
has not been any visionary leader for the electorate in the last 25 years.
The 35-year-old lawyer, who after much consultation with her husband, Daniel
Koiam, and the community members, decided to run for office to fill the shoes
that her father left two decades ago.
“We decided for me to contest because we need real leaders in this electorate,”
she said. “I was looking at the leadership landscape of North-East, if there
was anyone who could take on the banner.
“In the time of my father, there were services delivered, he built police
stations, health centres, schools, roads and so on but in the last 25 years
there has been no real visionary leadership to take Moresby North-East to the
next level.
“After consultation and talking to my husband, I decided to stand because we
need real leaders,” she said.
Unagi, who is married with three children, said her husband was her biggest
supporter.
“This is my first time to stand for election and without the support of my
husband I wouldn’t go this far,” she said.
“It’s important to always have someone who is always there no matter what.”
Unagi, who is contesting under the United Labour Party was dressed in party’s
black and orange colours at the drawing of the candidate names on Friday at the
Sir John Guise Stadium.
Two women candidates among 22 hopefuls in
Kokopo
By ROSELYN ELLISON
TWO women were
nominated to contest in Kokopo when nominations closed on Thursday, elections
returning officer Darius Kunai says.
“They were among 22 candidates vying for the seat,” he added.
The two women are Jubilee Eremas, who will be contesting as an independent in a
general election for the first time, and Cathleen Baragu who will be
recontesting on a PNG One Nation Party ticket.
Kunai said Kokopo had about 46,000 eligible voters.
He also explained why he had to reject the nomination forms of a Kerevat
prisoner on Thursday afternoon.
Kunai said it was 3.47pm on the last day of nominations when a team, led by a
lawyer representing the prisoner, came to nominate.
He clarified that as per requirements of the nomination process, the election
hopeful (prisoner) had to be physically present to sign nomination Form 23.
The prisoner had sent his lawyer to submit his nomination papers and to have
him nominated.
“The prisoner would have been accepted as a candidate because he was in prison
for a civil matter,” Kunai explained.
“As per nomination requirements, the only restriction for election hopefuls
serving jail is that he or she must not have been convicted of an indictable
offence in the last nine months
96 to run for ENB
seats
May 30, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
AT the close of
nominations for the General Election 2022 (GE22), a total of 96 candidates, 13
more than in 2017, were registered to contest the five seats in East New
Britain (ENB).
ENB elections returning officer and election manager Joap Voivoi said seven
women were among those whose nominations were accepted.
“The women will be contesting for East New Britian regional, Kokopo and
Gazelle,” he said.
“The electoral battle in Rabaul and Pomio will only be a men’s affair.”
Voivoi said three women were among the 21 up against incumbent Gazelle MP Jelta
Wong, the Health and HIV/AIDS Minister.
“Kokopo Open and the ENB regional seats have two women candidates each,” he
added.
“The increase in the number of women candidates in GE22 is in line with the
Government’s focus on promoting women in politics and national-level
decision-making.
Draws for all seats were conducted on Friday while Pomio completed its draws on
Thursday afternoon.
New Nakanai Open has 18 candidates ready for
race
THE new Nakanai Open
in West New Britain has attracted 18 candidates vying to be the first member
elect for the seat.
Among the contenders are sitting MP for Talasea Francis Galia Maneke and former
MP Francis Marus. The new Nakanai electorate comprises four local level
governments – Mosa, Hoskins, Central and East Nakanai.
Talasea electorate from which Nakanai split has three LLGs and a total of 32
candidates, including a female, contesting.
The Kandrian-Gloucester Open has registered 22 candidates including sitting MP
Joseph Lelang and former MPs Tony Puana, Peter Arul and David Sui.
In the West New Britain Regional seat, 21 candidates including on woman, are
running against sitting MP Governor Sasindran Muthuvel.
The total number of candidates running for the four seats stands at 93.
Engineer looking to focus on technical skills
Kanage runs for office
… Popular comedian and local celebrity Alphonse Dirau Kanage is among 40 others
contesting the Madang regional seat. The independent candidate says he wants to
remove the district development authority system and bring back the premier
system. Pictured is Kanage during his nomination at the Bates Oval in Madang
town recently. – Picture supplied
By MICHAEL PHILIP
MECHANICAL engineer
Arman Kambiu, who is one of the 21 candidates out to topple Gazelle MP Jelta
Wong, wants to help raise technical skills in the country.
Kambiu, 37, who is contesting as an Independent in a general election for a
second time, said PNG needed a bigger technical skill human capital to hasten
nation-building.
He contested in Moresby North-West against the late Sir Mekere Morauta in
General Election 2017.
Kambiu, the owner of Global Reliable Resource Services, said youths formed the
highest percentage of PNG’s population and, therefore, needed more attention in
Parliament to equip them with the relevant technical skills for better job
opportunities.
“We need well trained skilled technical people to do away with the hiring of
foreigners to help develop PNG,” he said.
“Our people are tired, they have faced much hardship and we believe that we can
do better.
It is better for us to make decisions for ourselves than depend on others.”
Kambiu said he had tried to contest under a political party but, “I could not
accept their conditions”.
“Politics is a dangerous game,” he said.
“You have to be very careful, especially when you are businessman because in a
split of a second or in the blink of an eye, they can destroy you. You have to
understand the game before contesting as an Independent candidate.”
Kambiu said the money, effort and time he spent with his people, money from
political parties cannot buy.
“I feel we have to stand for what we believe in,” he said.
“When you are part of a political party, they will dictate what to say.
“The decision to join any political party should come after winning.”
Democratic elections
‘maintained’
May 30, 2022The NationalMain Stories
PAPUA New Guinea has a
proud history of conducting general elections democratically, Australian
National University’s Dr Terence Wood says.
“Despite the low quality of elections, democracy was still maintained,” he
said.
“Typically most countries, soon after independence, go into some form of
dictatorial regime or suffer from political crisis but that is not the case
here.”
Speaking on the third day of a general election series workshop facilitated by
the Australian Broadcasting Corporation through the Media Development
Initiative, Wood said PNG managed to hold democratic elections throughout
post-Independence 1975.
“The country was able to hold general elections even in turbulent times, like
in 1997 and this year,” he said
He said the country’s general election faces several challenges like geography,
poor road infrastructure, roll inflation, electoral fraud and violence.
Wood said in 2017 administrative errors in the roll update resulted in some
names of eligible voters being removed.
“In some areas where the roll is inflated, people voted twice and it is likely
to happen in General Election 2022,” he added.
University of Papua New Guinea economics lecturer Mahopa Laveil said in the
last general election, the number of votes was much higher than the voting
population electoral in the roll.
“Based on our data, the problem mostly occurred in the Highlands.”
Laveil said voter fraud was very common during the 2017 general election in the
Highlands and now with the lack of an updated population data, voter fraud and
an inflated electoral roll was likely to happen again.
Northern closes nominations, 46 set to run
Nomination… Alfred
Manase (right) was among others who nominated at Kandep station on Friday.
Manase lost the Kandep Open seat he won in 2017 National Election during a
court-ordered recount. The seat was won by petitioner Don Polye. He urged Polye
to continue where he left and complete projects that he initiated. He is
endorsed by the People’s National Congress. – Picture supplied
NOMINATIONS for Northern closed at 4pm on
Thursday with 46 candidates confirmed to contest the provincial seat with 30
for Ijivitari.
Provincial election manager Daisy Hombogani told The National that
44 candidates had nominated to contest the Sohe seat while the new Popondetta
Open had seen 46 nominations at the close of business.
Ijivitari returning officer Ebamo Uduru said a good number of candidates had
filed their nominations but it was less than the last election in 2017.
He said it was a quiet nomination period which ended on a good note.
Uduru said the candidate names were drawn on Friday at the Higaturu Council
Chamber.
Popondetta Urban assistance returning officer Joe Kadi said of the 46
candidates for the new Popondetta open, two were women.
He said although there were also a number of women candidates for the Sohe
electorate, it was yet to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, Milne Bay had 19 candidates confirmed for the provincial seat, two
of them women.
Alotau Open had 37, five women; Kiriwina 18, one women candidate; Esa’ala 22
with one woman; and, Samarai-Murua had 30 candidates, two of them women.
Provincial returning officer Ivan Maraka told The National that the nomination
period in Milne Bay had been quiet.
He said due to communication problems with the two electorates – Samarai-Murua
and Kiriwina-Goodenough – they were not able to get updates on time.
However, they managed to get the nominations completed on time in all five
electorates.
Hau’ofa lone woman in
race
May 30, 2022The
NationalNational
By JAMIE HARO
ONLY one female
candidate is contesting the Moresby South electorate against seven other men in
Port Moresby.
Michelle Hau’ofa, who was endorsed by the People’s Party, said she was looking
forward to campaigning after receiving her box number during the order of draws
on Friday.
“Preparations are going well,” she said.
“We have a team in the communities helping to reach out to the people through
civic awareness.”
Michelle said she was reaching out through a civic awareness based on educating
people on their rights and responsibilities as citizens and how to vote wisely.
“Don’t just settle for hand-downs, what’s important is to see the people
through for the next five to 10 years,” she said.
The daughter of veteran broadcaster and presenter late Roger Hau’ofa said as
the only female candidate contesting, she was looking forward to campaigning
and represent the voice of women, children youths and men in the electorate.
Michelle is running under the People’s Party banner with party founder and Enga
Governor Sir Peter Ipatas also endorsing other women in seats around the
country.
Over 30 contesting new seat
THIRTY-five candidates
have nominated for the new Hiri-Koiari electorate in Central.
Returning officer Leo Ameua said the first candidate to nominate to contest the
seat was New Generation Party candidate and party leader Keith Iduhu.
Keith, 44, of Gaire village is a lawyer by profession and aims to bring
reformation and formalise customary land by giving the secured titles to clans.
He was accompanied by his dad, a veteran journalist and secretary for
Information and Communication, Henao Iduhu and mother Ulato Iduhu to nominate.
Keith said his nomination was a good start to his race to make it home and
represent the people of Hiri-Koiari.
“It was a humbling experience to have supporters from all over the new
electorate that attended my nomination in a convoy” he said.
PNG Destiny Party focuses on Christian values,
agriculture
By LORRAINE JIMAL
PNG Destiny Party,
which does not have an incumbent MP, is fielding 12 candidates in General
Election 2022 (GE22), president Pastor Tom Watinga says.
He said the party would campaign on two matters:
- MAKE Papua New Guinea (PNG) a
truly Christian nation with emphasis and support to the churches to work
together and bring genuine revival and prepare the nation for Christ’s
soon return; and,
- MAKE PNG the Asian food
basket by engaging the rural population, drawing from their natural agriculture skills and produce and export agriculture products to China, India, Indonesia and the rest of the Asia.
“This will generate
wealth and create employment for about seven million rural folks, and help
praise the Gross Domestic Product,” Watinga said.
“We also invite like-minded, God-fearing, Bible believers who are elected as
Independents to team up with us.”
Businessman contesting NCD regional to address
social issues
By REBECCA KUKU
WATCHING people
getting evicted from their houses when he was young has prompted businessman
Ben Dangima to try and do something about the social problem.
“That is why I am venturing into politics to get directly involved,” the
39-year-old said after filing his nomination papers to contest the National
District Capital regional seat on a Liberal Party ticket.
Dangima grew up in a little village called Kunabau in Chimbu’s Kerowaghi.
“I first left home after completing grade 12 to study in the University of
Technology in Lae,” he said.
“After completing my studies, I came to Port Moresby to look for a job.
“But due to the job scarcity, I started a construction company, making Port
Moresby my second home.
“Over the years, I have watched people getting evicted from their houses,
families becoming homeless.
“I have seen the struggles of the people striving for access to health
services, and other basic services.
“The long queues, the lack of staff to attend to them.
“There is a need to bring about positive changes to all services.
“Safety, security, health and education are the basic rights of everyone that
should be addressed.”
Dangima is a father of five.
Big entrance …Peter
Isoaimo was nominated to defend his Bereina seat in Central on Thursday.
Contesting on a National Alliance Party ticket, Isoaimo said he had done his
best to deliver services since 2017 with limited funding. – Picture supplied
Briefs
Crikey! … The Sepik
community at Papuan Compound in Ward Three of Lae urban local level government
on Friday on their way to present two live crocodiles and gifts to Lae MP and
deputy prime minister John Rosso for his leadership in bringing changes to the
city. – Nationalpic by LARRY ANDREW
Public appeal
EVANGELICAL Lutheran Church of PNG head bishop Rev Dr Jack Urame has urged
people to respect the democratic process and follow the laws during the general
election. “We must avoid negative behaviour such as violence, threats,
intimidation, bribery and other bad influences because they will suppress our
rights, undermine our freedom and destroy our democracy,” he said.
Alcohol restriction
WESTERN Highlands police commander Chief Supt Joe Puri says that the sale of
alcohol will be restricted in the province during the general election. He said
this meant that only hotels and lodges could sell alcohol but under strict
guidelines.
‘Respect police’
POLICE Union president Lowa Tambua has urged people not to interfere with work
of security personnel during the election period. “We are only there to secure
the integrity of the ballot papers and the officials.”
Focus on housing
INCUMBENT Anglimp-South Waghi MP Joe Kuli says he plans to introduce the rural
housing scheme into the district if he is re-elected to Parliament. Kuli, who
spoke during his campaign in Minj last Tuesday, warned people not to sell their
votes.
Students warned
ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police for Highlands Eastern End Rigga Neggi has
warned students not to take part in election-related activities such as
campaigns. Those candidates using students as their supporters should be
ashamed of themselves and stop,” he said.
Comments
Post a Comment