Free-ed policy 'not on'
The people of Kavieng electorate should not be fooled by Sir Julius Chan and Sition Gion’s last-minute claims of free education to buy votes, New Ireland Governor Ian Ling- Stuckey said yesterday.
Mr Ling-Stuckey said no country in the world provided free education and that the Chan-Wingti government had introduced “a so-called free education” in 1992 which fizzled out in 1994 because they ran out of money.
“All national government agencies simply rejected free education as an unworkable political gimmick,” he said.
Mr Ling-Stuckey said most MPs today did not support a last-minute free education policy to buy votes, but rather, a free education policy with forward planning that was sustainable.
Mr Ling-Stuckey said Sir Julius and his former chief-of-staff Mr Gion, who is a Kavieng Open candidate, must explain to the people of Kavieng about their actions resulting in the “Diary Affair”, Placer share issue, Sandline issue and the Cairns Conservatory when they were in government.

Dusava slams governor
YANGORU Saussia aspirant Gabriel Dusava has accused East Sepik Governor Peter Wararu of misusing government facilities to woo voters.
He alleged that Mr Wararu, who is the sitting member, had used all four local level government vehicles to carry out his election campaign.
The governor had also been giving cash handouts of between K10,000 and K120,000 in villages in the past three weeks, he said in a statement after witnessing the arrival of a grader and a bulldozer for road maintenance work in different parts of the electorate.
“The acts of blatant abuse of power perpetrated by the NA candidate to corrupt the minds of free-thinking people of Yangora Saussia are so intense and plagued that in the last four weeks it is no longer just rumours or a joke to brush aside,” Mr Dusava said.
He said Mr Wararu had abused his office over:
* The last-minute removal of the district administrator;
* The removal of Sector Programme Officers;
* The purchase and issuance of four new vehicles;
* The distribution of cash , food and pigs; and
* The purchase of a grader and bulldozer for last-minute road upgrading in different parts of the electorate.
“People are asking where the money is coming from,” Mr Dusava said.

PPP to pursue reforms
FOUNDER of the People’s Progress Party (PPP) Sir Julius Chan said a PPP led government would encourage bottom-up planning with the implementation of the Provincial and local level government reforms.
Sir Julius said it was PPP that instituted these reforms in 1995 and he intends to make it work when he gets into power.
The PPP leader said these after he completed an eight-day campaign tour in the five Highlands provinces.
Sir Julius covered Kandep, Laiagam and Kompiam stations in Enga province, Honga and Birop villages and Mendi town in Southern Highlands; Kuruk and Nunga villages in Western Highlands; Gagul, Laswara, Kilau and Korowiri in Simbu; and Unave, Okapa, Daulo, Henganofi and Kainantu in Eastern Highlands province.
The veteran politician throughout the campaign reiterated the PPP policies on Funding Education for all, stating that K200-million will be allocated every year to implement its free-education policy up to grade eight nationwide.
He emphasized that church-run, private and independent schools will receive the same funding as government run schools.

Warning against desperados
PEOPLE in the remote Konoagil Local Level Government in New Ireland are urged not to be fooled by “fly by night leaders” who have suddenly found time to visit their areas.
Deputy president of the Konoagil LLG, Philip Toanusi said such moves by leaders would be in desperate attempts to win people’s support so people had to carefully choose their candidates before going to the polls to cast their votes.
He claimed the Konoagil area was virtually a forgotten part of New Ireland which no elected government- provincial or national have tried to develop leaving citizens with no other option but to try to do this themselves.
Mr Toanusi said while people have been able to do these themselves, they should not allow power and money hungry politicians to manipulate them for their own benefit as they have done over the last ten years.
He appealed to all right thinking people from the area to carefully choose among candidates who have so far visited the area to campaign and ensure their preferred candidate is someone who they can trust to be there for them when they need help and not one who will forget about them when they go into office.
Meanwhile six candidates for the Namatanai open and New Ireland regional seat have so far visited the area to campaign including father and son-Sir Julius and his son, Byron Chan, the sitting member for Namatanai.
Sir Julius Chan is contesting the New Ireland regional sear while his son Byron is fighting to retain his Namatanai seat at the coming elections.

Commitments 'dishonourned'
Some political parties that had officially endorsed candidates in this year’s election were not honoring their commitments by financially supporting them.
A vocal community leader from Faniufa village in Goroka, Joseph Hanamo, raised the concern yesterday.
He said some of the candidates had names and logos of the political parties on their posters, however, since the time of nomination until now the candidates have not been receiving any financial support from these parties.
Mr Hanamo, who is a campaign manager of a candidate for the Eastern Highlands regional seat, claimed political parties were literally “luring candidates and ambushing them”.
He claimed a particular political party (named) had officially endorsed a candidate under its banner, however, had failed miserably in providing financial assistance to the candidate during his campaign.
“Political parties endorsing candidates must put the money where the mouth is,” Mr Hanamo said.
“I am very surprise that some of these parties are those whose leaders are vying for the prime minister’s post.”

Pundari keeps low profile
Advance PNG Party leader John Pundari attempted to stop a news report on a politically rally by his candidate for Anglimp/South Waghi on Friday published.
Mr Pundari told this reporter he wanted to give their campaign a low profile and didn't want media publicity.
Mr Pundari, who is seeking to reclaim his Kombiam/Ambun Open seat, was in Baning village to rally support for his candidate Joannes Appa. He insisted that his speech not be published. John Pundari requested this newspaper not to publish his speech.
This move by Pundari is in sharp contrast to the time in 1999 when, as Speaker of Parliament, he and his advisors used the media astutely to launch a bid for the Prime Ministers job. He almost pulled it off, but distrust and backdoor deals led to him pulling out of a coalition with Sir William Skate and Chris Haiveta, and providing his numbers for Sir Mekere to become Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, Mr Appa urged voters to elect the best leader into Parliament and not someone they would regret.

Wife knows best
WIFE of a candidate contesting this general election has urged voters PNG-wide to elect honest, hard working and God-fearing leaders.
Mrs Joan Aihi, the wife of Paru Aihi, a candidate for the Kairuku-Hiri seat in Central province said electing persons of high moral and Christian principles would help rid corruption in the country.
Mrs Aihi who has been accompanying her husband on the campaign trail said voters should not succumb to bribes, but elect leaders who oppose corruption and provide honest leadership.
“I’m campaigning for Paru because I’m his only wife for many years and I know he will be honest in his dealing when elected,” she said during a big rally at 14 Mile at the weekend.
Mrs Aihi also told the crowd that as a mother she was concern of the future of her children and many others whose future depended heavily of the decisions of the leaders in government.
“We must help to get honest and hard working leaders elected so that the decision they make will be for the good of this and future generations.
“I would not be standing here to urge you all to vote for good leaders if I was not concern of my children and thousands of other kids throughout PNG,” she told an attentive cheering crowd.
Also speaking during that rally, Mr Aihi urged the people to vote be good judges and elect good leaders for what they can do and not what they were giving out during the whole election period.
“Those who buying votes have nothing better to offer the people and this country, but use money and other things to lure support,” he said.
Mr Aihi said people should not waste their votes on candidates who would pursue self interest when elected.