Aussie female senators visit to support PNG Greens

By JAYNE SAFIHAO
TWO Australian Greens female senators were in Madang last week to show their support for PNG Greens Party candidates contesting the seven seats in Madang.
The two female senators are Rachel Siewert and Penny Wright, two of the 10 Greens in the Australian federal parliament, of which six are women.
Their arrival was very low key as there were no proper arrangements to accord the set protocol let alone a proper stage on which to speak at Bates Oval.
Despite that, the duo, used to the rough outback, braved the heat, the long standing time and the impromptu meetings with locals throughout their visit.
Last Friday the women who gave their speech on the muddy lawn, much to the amusement of other male onlookers, impressed the crowd by attempting to speak Tok Pisin.
PNG Greens leader Dorothy Tekwie and intending Greens candidate for Usino-Bundi, Josephine Toure Mandawe, welcomed the two women with a small singsing group and gifts of two Karkar bilums and Vanimo style traditionally woven baby carriers.
The duo met the seven intending candidates for the province later and mingled with the crowd.
A first for the party, Madang is the only province in which the Greens Party has endorsed candidates for all the seven seats.
They are Gabriel Agesek for Bogia, Peter Basanangke for Raicoast, Taba Silau for Madang open,  Saram David Balbal for Sumkar,  Tony Yagon for Madang regional and Peter Molu for Middle Ramu.
The senators, representing Western and South Australia respectively, visited the Naru community, Walium Station and Enekwai village at Kurumbukari  where the housing scheme project for the Ramu NiCo project is located.