PM Marape says East Sepik a potential ‘economic powerhouse’
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
PM Marape says East Sepik a potential ‘economic powerhouse’
PORT MORESBY: Prime Minister James Marape says East
Sewpik has the potential to become the nationa’s “economic powerhouse”.
“Because of the
potential, and in memory of founding father the late Grand Chief Sir Michael
Somare, my next Government would be formed in East Sepik,” he added.
Marape spoke at a
General Election 2022 (GE22) rally in Maprik on Wednesday (June 22, 2022).
And in May River, East
Sepik yesterday (May 23, 20-22), former prime minister Peter O’Neill warned
parents to vote for their children’s future rather than for their own stomach.
“Education is key to
improving our livelihoods. Both leaders and parents have responsibilities,” he
added.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces a few GE22 news updates as published by The National:
Potential in East Sepik
June 24, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
Marape said in Maprik on Wednesday that because of this potential, and in
memory of founding father the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, his next
government would be formed in East Sepik.
With him were East Sepik Governor Allan Bird (National Alliance), Angoram MP
Salio Waipo (National Alliance), Maprik MP John Simon (Pangu Pati) and Pangu
candidate for Wosera-Gawi Ronald Asik.
He said Sir Michael was instrumental in the formation of both Pangu and
National Alliance.
“East Sepik has the potential to become the economic powerhouse of our
country,” Marape said.
“This is why I will bring the (formation) of government here – in memory of Sir
Michael, and secondly, in memory of Sir Pita Lus.
“This will be the first Parliament without Sir Michael and Sir Pita.
“This will be symbolic – that the nation is now being passed on to the next
generation.”
Marape said the formation of the new government in East Sepik would inspire the
new generation of leaders to hold on to the lofty ideals of Sir Michael and Sir
Pita.
He said his Government in the past three years had passed major laws to fight
corruption.
They included the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), Whistle
Blowers Act and Undisclosed Wealth Act.
“What would be the point of Allan Bird and I growing the economy of the country
when corruption is still prevalent?” Marape said.
“We have managed to stifle corruption in the big way with the passage of the
three bills during the last term of Parliament.”
Marape said East Sepik’s economic potential was in agriculture, through the
vast Sepik Plains.
“Over the next few years, we want to grow our own rice for domestic consumption
and to export to Philippines, Indonesia and the rest of the region,” he said.
Public servants, private sector workers to be
given time to vote: Dept
PUBLIC servants and
workers in the private sector should be allowed time off work to cast their
votes, according to Personnel Management Department Secretary Taies Sansan.
She said everyone should be given the opportunity to vote in the General
Election 2022 (GE22).
“This will require that permission is granted for public servants and employees
to leave work early for this purpose to visit their nearest polling booth,” she
said.
“The Government anticipates your cooperation in (encouraging) our citizens to
participate in this important national event.
“This instruction is particularly important in the Highlands provinces and most
urban centres where the Electoral Commission has arranged for two weeks of
voting.”
Sansan said individuals should arrange their voting time.
“As far as possible, each person should arrange to vote at their own time, for
example, before and after normal public service commencement times,” she said.
Sansan said where it was not possible for workers to cast their vote because of
long queues or travel time, agency and department heads should allow a
“reasonable period of absence with pay” to allow them to cast their vote.
According to the election schedule, polling begins on July 4 and ends on July
22.
It is time a woman leads Morobe, says
candidate
A WOMAN contesting the
regional seat in Morobe says it is time a female leads the province.
Sheila Pati Harou, at a public forum for women candidates, said there were two
agents to bring development and service delivery.
“The Bible tells of two men, one is without a womb and one with a womb,” she
said.
“Morobe has (been giving) leadership to the one without the womb for 40 years.
Now we want to give the leadership to the man with the womb – a woman.”
The forum was organised by the University of Technology for women candidates
contesting seats in the General Election 2022 (GE22).
It focused on women candidates for the Morobe governor’s seat.
The university invited the four women candidates for the regional seat namely
Harou, Finkewe Zurecnouc, Zuabe Tonton Tinning and Jennifer Baing. But three
were busy on the campaign trail.
Deputy vice-chancellor Dr Garry Sali said the forum was to create a platform
for the women candidates to present their visions and policies to voters who
could then make a wise and informed decision when casting their vote.
“It is important because it is where we create a politically neutral platform
for candidates to express their views so that voters are informed to make the
right choice,” he said.
“They are to give their views on why they want to represent us in Parliament.
We need leaders to make right decisions in Parliament.
“It is difficult to run this country, so we need to make proper changes and
right decisions.”
Senior govt official in custody after vehicle
hits, kills girl
By GYNNIE KERO
A SENIOR government
protocol officer is in police custody after his vehicle veered off a road in
Wewak, East Sepik, killing a young girl yesterday.
Provincial police commander Supt Albert Beli said the man was driving downhill
at Kreer Compound between 7am and 8am yesterday.
He said the girl, attending elementary school, was walking on the road side
when she was hit by the vehicle.
Beli said the girl was taken to the hospital at Boram where she died later.
Her family erected a barricade across the road after the accident.
But it was removed later in the afternoon.
Beli said police found alcohol in the vehicle.
He said they would find out where the alcohol was bought from as there was a
liquor ban in the province because of the General Election 2022. He said they
would look for the alcohol trader to be taken to task too.
There were other passengers travelling in the vehicle with the public servant,
he said.
Put children first:
O’Neill
June 24, 2022The NationalMain Stories
“Education is key to improving our livelihoods.
“Both leaders and parents have responsibilities.
“Parents must think about your children, not your stomach,” he said.
The leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC) party was in May River, East
Sepik, yesterday to support Ambunti-Dreikikier MP Johnson Wapunai.
O’Neill reminded the people that they had responsibilities too, the same as
national leaders.
He also said his party promoted people-focused policies.
Wapunai told the May River people that the district had saved millions of kina
at the end of each financial year since 2017.
He said last year, he saved K50 million.
“This is the money we are using to implement projects.
“Many times, people tell you that all funds go back to Waigani at the year-end.
Not true. I saved and used them on projects,” Wapunai said.
Ex-MP stands again to finish projects
FORMER Kokopo MP Ereman ToBaining says he is
contesting the Kokopo Open seat again this year because he needs to complete
some projects he had began in 2012.
The People’s National Congress party candidate said he would give priority to
young people.
ToBaining was campaigning at the Mambur plantation settlement in Palavirua,
Kokopo on Sunday.
He told the people that during his term as MP, he completed 716 projects with a
total value of K42 million.
He had already submitted acquittals for K14 million.
He referred to claims that he had misused the funds as “lies spread by some to
discredit me”.
He assured everyone that he had a “clean record” when he was the Kokopo MP.
ToBaining said the people of Mambur would enjoy clean drinking water,
electricity, improved health and education services for their children if he
wins again.
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MP: 1 of 4 to form
govt
June 24, 2022The NationalMain Stories, Uncategorized
YANGORU-Saussia MP and
Peoples’ First Party (PFP) leader Richard Maru believes that only four parties
will have the number and one will be called to form government in General
Election 2022 (GE22).
Speaking during the campaign rally for his PFP Nawaeb candidate, Theo Pelgen at
Back Road in Lae, Maru said either Pangu, Peoples National Congress (PNC), PFP
or National Alliance (NA) would be called to form government.
“I believe Pangu, PNC and PFP and, to an extent, NA had the opportunity to have
the numbers to be invited to form government,” Maru said.
“Any four of these parties have the opportunity to be invited to form
government depending on the number of seats each party wins in this election,
so I’m saying any of these parties will make it.
“Just because a party has the highest number, history proves that it doesn’t
mean that they are likely to form government.”
Maru said PFP will be a party that could come and might form government and he
was confident.
He said with their 32 candidates, he believed they had chosen well and he
expected a high number of their candidates coming home.
Genia sets out to reclaim Abau seat
FORMER Abau MP Kilroy
Koirobete Genia says there are two reasons why he would like to reclaim the
Abau Open seat.
Firstly, he said he had unfinished business of bringing basic government
services to the electorate and secondly, he said all of Abau’s services were
either nonexistent or dysfunctional.
“During my time as a member, I initiated several impact projects that were of
benefit and aid to the people of Abau,” he said.
“The Cape Rodney Rubber project is one of many which was the economic base of
Abau back then.”
Kilroy also said that during his term, projects like the KIK (Kokonas Industry
Koporesen) were brought to fruition with support of the office of the member.
He said this project would have seen a downstream processing factory built and
operated locally in Manabo station and should it had eventuated in 2002 and
onwards, it would have supported neighbouring and widespread communities within
Cloudy Bay and Abau in providing employment and economic earning opportunities.
“My mission is to revive and rebuild Abau through development.”
Genia, 61, is running under the United Labour Party (ULP) banner.
Rigo people urged to vote leaders, not
politicians
AS polling nears, an
independent candidate contesting the Rigo Open seat in Central has urged the
people of Rigo to vote leaders with the right mindset to bring development and
not politicians with greed.
Dickson Guina, a former department secretary for the provincial and local level
government affairs, who served for more than 30 years in the public sector,
said the district needed change in leadership.
Guina told a crowd last week during a rally staged by PNG Party in Kemabolo
village, that Rigo had seen lesser service delivery in the last 46 years.
He said this was because of lack of leadership and poor management.
“Politicians want to survive in the next five years, that’s why they give you
handouts but leaders have vision, dream and passion for change,” he said.
“They build the future.”
Guina believed it was time to elect someone who had vast knowledge of how the
system operates, hence would bring services to develop Rigo.
Guina, if elected, planned to develop Kwikila station into an economic hub
through proper management of the district development authority (DDA) funding
(K10 million).
Among other vital services, he also planned to further improve the standard of
education in the district.
“I want to make Rigo a model district in the country,” he said.
“I want to make Kwikila station an economic hub.
“I want to transform Kwikila secondary into a school of excellence.”
Equipped with a wealth of knowledge in the public sector, Guina assured the
people of Rigo that he was the right man for the top job.
National Party needs numbers
By HELEN TARAWA
The National Party has
endorsed three candidates in Northern in the hope of building its numbers to
win the election and form government.
Party leader and Sinasina Yongomugl MP Kerenga Kua, who was in Popondeta last
weekend, told the people of Oro that the National Party wanted the numbers to
get into power and continue the reforms.
The three candidates who were endorsed included Romney Iewago (Popondetta
Open), Moses Atade (Sohe Open) and Manson Afuma (Ijivitari).
Kua told The National that his party did not endorse a candidate for the
Northern regional seat because Governor Gary Juffa had done an excellent job.
“We need numbers in the party because most politicians are not reformist minded
and we want to use that forum to reform laws for effective, productive and
better society to improve the quality of life,” he said.
Kua, who had served two terms (2012-17 and 2017-22), was standing for the third
time.
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