‘Alotau in good hands’

By HELEN TARAWA
FORMER Alotau MP Charles Abel (Our Development Party) says he is happy that Ricky Morris (People’s National Congress), whom he mentored over the years, has won the seat.
“I am proud with his achievement in what was a tight race,” he said.
Morris polled 8,093 votes for a 107-vote win over United Resources Party’s Lisia Ilaibeni who received 7,986 ballots.
A three-term MP, Abel had switched from Alotau to contest in Milne Bay where he has been eliminated in the ongoing ballot count.
Abel said: “Morris is a rising political leader and I have every confidence in his ability to keep Alotau’s development progress.”
Morris said he would continue the work left by Abel in Alotau and “I will be more focused on rural service delivery”.
“Abel has left big shoes for me to fill, setting the benchmark for service delivery,” he said.
“My win is the for the people of Alotau and I am committed to youth development as the way to go forward for Alotau.”
Morris, who holds a degree in Business and Commerce from University of Papua New Guinea, was Suau local level government (LLG) president for two terms (2013 – 2019).
Morris had served under Abel and former Milne Bay governor Titus Philemon.
Meanwhile, Abel said he was grateful to the people of Alotau and Milne Bay for the opportunity to serve them in Parliament in the last 15 years.
He was first elected as MP in General Election 2007 (GE07 – 8th Parliament) as an Independent and later joined The National Alliance party and was deputy prime minister from August 2017 to May 2019. Nineteen candidates raced for the provincial seat in GE22.
“Like everything I do, I put out my heart and soul into the job,” he said.
“I contested for the seat knowing it was a more difficult task, but it is not just about holding on to power.”

Holy Spirit Primary continuing classes

By GLORIA BAUAI
CLASSES at Holy Spirit Primary School in Madang town will continue until the elimination for Madang regional seat starts, says head teacher Francis Arigini.
Level eight Holy Spirit Primary is the biggest school in the province with 2,600 students and 58 teachers, situated in the same premises as the Catholic Holy Spirit Open church that will host the counting for the regional seat.
Arigini said the school had already lost a week of lessons and only resumed classes last week.
“How can students be compensated for being victims of your decisions,” he said while stressing that the Electoral Commission must prepare in advance for elections.
“There should be a proper facility in the province for any activity of such because the longer this drags on, it will affect our students.”
Arigini said teachers had prepared homework for students to make up for time and content.
His other concern was security where students had to travel on public transport to get to school.
Similar concerns were raised by parents of students attending Tusbab Secondary School, which is hosting the Madang Open counting.
The school had issued a memo advising all students to remain at home this week except for grade 12s.
Parents said this was unfair on the students, especially the grade 10s who needed much contact lessons with teachers.
Acting provincial education director John Ura said schools in the province had resumed classes last week, except for schools in Madang town where counting continued.

Unnecessary issues slow Chimbu count: Officer

By ZACHERY PER
UNNECESSARY issues and complaints raised at the Chimbu counting centre has hindered the counting process.
Provincial returning officer (RO) Rev Tom Sine pointed this out and called on candidates and scrutineers not to delay counting unnecessarily.
He said counting for first preferences were completed with eliminations taking place.
Sine said candidates needed to understand that there was a deadline for the return of the writs .
He said the date of the return of writs had already been extended and unnecessary delays could result in the province being without MPs, including a governor in Parliament.
He said all primary counts and quality checks for all seven electorates – Karamui-Salt Nomane, Kerowagi, Chuave, Sinasina-Yongomugl, Gumine and Kundiawa-Gembogl – were completed and they were now into the elimination.
Sine added that counting for the regional seat had been slow due to an assortment of complaints and protests by candidates during the primary counts.
He said in spite of this they had maintained a good working atmosphere with partners especially with the security forces and other state agencies.
“We are keeping a daily surveillance on movements in and out of the counting centre in Chimbu,” he said.
“We are looking forward to a speedy elimination and declaration by end of the week.”