PM Marape applauds Dr Marat
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
PM Marape applauds Dr Marat
PORT MORESBY: Prime Minister James Marape says former
four-term Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat is truly a “magnanimous gentleman politician”.
“He has definitely set
the precedence for young leaders to emulate,” he added.
Marape, who is also
Pangu Pati leader, made the comments when congratulating new Rabaul MP Graham
Piniau yesterday (July 21, 2022).
“Despite losing by only
three votes, Marat did not demand a recount nor make a fuss. He simply said the
people have spoken,” Marape said.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below the news break and a few General Election 2022 news updates published by The National:
PM applauds Marat
July 22, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
“He has definitely set the precedence for young leaders to emulate,” he added.
Marape, who is also Pangu Pati leader, made the comments when congratulating
new Rabaul MP Graham Piniau yesterday.
“Despite losing by only three votes, Marat did not demand a recount nor make a
fuss.
“He simply said the people have spoken.
“And I take my hat off to him. We should respect him for his long service (to
the electorate and Paliament). He has shown all of us how the right attitude
and behaviour during a general election,” he added.
Marape said Marat, 68, reminded all young leaders and aspiring leaders that the
chair in Parliament belonged to the people of Papua New Guinea (PNG).
“When the people speak through the ballots, there is no need to fight, you
simply accept it and move on because the seat belongs to the people.
“I hope we all, including the young leaders, learn from this great man and the
example he has set,” he said.
Marape also wished Marat all the best in his future endeavours, saying that he
had much respect for him and thanked him for his contribution to building
Rabaul, PNG and for his contribution to the country’s politics.
“In 2003, during the by-election, Marat who was then the Deputy Prime Minister
came up to Tari and campaigned for me when I was a young politician.
“I hear, he will be retiring from politics. On behalf of my family, my people
of Tari-Pori, I wish him, his family and his people, the best.
“And I make a commitment to the people of Rabaul that my Pangu member Piniau
and I will continue where Marat has left off, to build Rabaul.”
Chimbu heads into counting
The Gumine district in
Chimbu completed polling on Monday. Pictured is an old woman at the Yani
village in ward 4 of Gumine local level government polling station being helped
by Chimbu electoral officer Margaret Kama (left) to fill in her ballot paper. –
Nationalpic by VICKY BAUNKE
COUNTING for the
Chimbu provincial seat along with the six districts is expected to start today,
provincial election manager Rev Tom Sine says.
Sine said polling was successfully completed in the province on Wednesday and
they were now preparing for counting.
“The counting is set to begin tomorrow (today) because we have brought in
majority of the ballot boxes from all the districts to Kundiawa already,” he
said.
He said however, few more boxes from Karamui, Salt and Normane local level
government (LLG) and some parts of Gumine were yet to be airlifted to Kundiawa
due to bad weather. “The weather is not in our favour over the last few days
that delays the transportation of some boxes from Karamui-Nomane and Gumine,”
he said.
Peter unseats Seymour for Huon Gulf seat
By JACINTA COHLEE
A UNITED Resource
Party candidate unseated two-term Huon Gulf Open member Ross Seymour with a
16,629 absolute majority victory yesterday in the General Election 2022.
Jason Peter, from Salamaua, was declared at the Lae Secondary School hall by
district returning officer Daniel Wasinak as the new Huon Gulf Open member
after beating Seymour (National Alliance) at exclusion 28 with 19,585 votes.
Seymour raked in 16,274 votes and third-placed John Kasu (Independent) 6,741.
Second declared URP party candidate and the founder of Zilu Scientific West
Limited Peter said that he would continue the job Seymour did.
“I am very happy to be elected as the member for Huon Gulf Open.
“I will continue to deliver the services to the people of the four local level
governments (Wampar urban, Wampar rural, Morobe and Salamua) with their 66
wards,” a beamng Peter said.
He said that his five-year term would be to start from the bottom and go up in
terms of development.
“I will start from the ground and do cleaning and then will climb up the ladder
slowly as I go.
“I will represent the people of the four LLGs and the 66 wards and I am
confident that I will deliver to them the services they need,” he said.
Peter said he was runner-up to Seymour in 2017 and he was confident that this
year he would win from the 30 candidates.
Kabwum Secondary
suspended
July 22, 2022The NationalNational
THE suspension of
Kabwum Secondary School has been extended until the end of the year by the
Morobe education board (PEB).
Morobe education adviser Keith Tangui said the decision was through a special
PEB meeting last week, taking into consideration the existing situation in the
district and the possible impact on student learning and school properties.
The school was suspended late last month following a fight between students;
while suspended, the district also reported chaotic election-related violence
and need for increased security.
“In the best interest of the 300-plus students, 23 teachers and the school
infrastructure as the safety of these important educational assets are not
guaranteed at this time, we must suspend it for the remainder of the year,” he
said.
“These events have affected student learning which will immensely contribute to
their performance in the national examinations this year and also affect the
overall performance of Morobe.
“This is due to the fact that assessment period one for grades 9s and 11s and
assessment period two for grades 10s and 12s are incomplete or not done as
required by teachers as well as the Measurement Services Division.”
Through a circular released, PEB outlined four supplementary decisions, first
of which stated that all grades 9 and 11 accepted into Kabwum Secondary next
year will be accommodated by Wasu Secondary as the current students would
repeat at Kabwum.
PEB also noted all schools in Morobe should not accept any transfers from
Kabwum.
Counting process disturbing, says students
Grade nine students of
Kokopo Technical Secondary School. The students have raised concerns over the
prolonging of the counting process at their school. – Nationalpic by MICHAEL
PHILIP
By MICHAEL PHILIP
COUNTING for the East New Britain regional seat at Kokopo Technical Secondary
School continues to disturb classes, a student representative says.
Grade nine student representative Kisakiu Kaukia told The National that
the counting process at their school hall had caused the school’s
administration to defer classes.
Kaukia said they expected the counting would be completed before the start of
the third term.
“We were expecting counting to be done in two weeks,” he said.
“After the two weeks, it was time for classes again but that didn’t happen and,
in fact they have continued with counting (at the school) which has affected
our normal classes.
“Today and next week we will not be attending classes because of counting, but
it depends.”
Kaukia said counting delays would only prolong their situation and affect their
education.
“If counting continues to be delayed, we will have no classes.”
Kaukia said that the shortened class – times from 8am to 10am – was not enough
time for students to cover all their subjects and topics adequately, thus,
impacting the quality of their education.
Principal Doreen Ezekiel said the situation was beyond their control.
“The election is a national event so we respect that, but we have to look at
other options for the students.
Election manager Joap Voivoi said the school would be back to normal operations
by Monday.
Unfair treatment
called out
July 22, 2022The NationalNational
AN observer in East
New Britain says while polling and counting in the province has been peaceful,
certain segments of the community have been denied fair and free participation.
First assistant secretary of the Department of Community Development and
Religion Nancy Kavop said many persons with a disability (PLWDs), women and the
elderly were not treated fairly in the conduct of this election.
Kavop told The National last weekend that many persons with a
disability were unable to vote because polling officials were not trained or
equipped to cater for these people.
She said the deaf needed interpreters who could use sign language to direct
them while the blind needed to be guided and use voting papers with brail to
vote.
She said the process needed to be inclusive to accommodate these people. She
added that women and the elderly were also not given priority or attention
during polling.
Kavop said women, who were supposed to have separate booths to cast their
votes, were not given the chance to do so and instead formed their own line but
still voted at the same booths as men.
She said one elderly voter on finding his name was not on the General Election
2022 (GE22) common roll, was told by a polling official that he was already old
and did not have to worry about voting.
Kavop said the EC needed to upgrade all its systems and methods to incorporate
digital technology to improve the electoral process and make it more efficient.
She said this would require the government to fund these changes but it was
necessary given the issues faced in this election so far.
Aust envoy visits ENB to observe counting
East New Britain
administrator Wilson Matava (left) and election observers from the Australian
High Commission, led by High Commissioner John Philp (second left) at the
Kokopo Technical Secondary School. – Nationalpic by MICHAEL PHILIP
By MICHAEL PHILIP
AUSTRALIAN High Commissioner John Philp visited East New Britain (ENB) on
Wednesday to observe counting for the ENB regional seat at Kokopo Technical
Secondary School.
Provincial administrator Wilson Matava said having international observers
during an election was a better way forward to improve the conduct of
elections.
“As part of our democratic process of government in electing our leaders, it is
important for us as a nation to get international observers,” he said.
“This is important for a democratic nation like PNG.
Matava said election-related issues encountered in the province were beyond
their control but they had plans to improve in the next election with support
from the government of Australia.
He commended the PNG Joint Security Task Force for maintaining security and
peace in the four district of the province.
Meanwhile, declaration for Pomio and Rabaul Open had been made while the
provincial seat, Gazelle and Kokopo Open were expected to be made by today or
over the weekend.
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