Authorities tie historic agreement

The National National

SEVERAL resolutions were passed last week by the Lae City Authority (LCA) board, according to chief executive officer Neil Ellery and Lord Mayor Kames Khay.
Ellery said Wednesday this week marked a new relationship between LCA and the Lae Urban local level government (LULLG) council with both organisations committing to work together to build Lae.
Among the resolutions passed were:

  • All outstanding contractors issues dating before July 23, 2017 would not be entertained;
  • all LULLG cheque books be handed to acting city manager Robin Callistus until the LULLG passed a resolution to hand full management of the city council to LCA;
  • no district services improvement programme (DSIP) and provincial services improvement programme (PSIP) funds would be allocated to support municipal services after the current allocation of funds; and,
  • LCA would collect and administer all LULLG revenues which would be reviewed in 12 months.

Other resolutions passed by LULLG were for LCA to manage all LULLG assets, and the management to immediately look at the reduction of the current staff from 600 down to 310 which was the approved structure.
Ellery said the resolutions meant any public servant, employee or public currently collecting revenue from public assets owned by the LULLG should cease immediately.
“Any person seen to be personally benefiting, stealing or abusing the assets will be referred to police,” he said
“The assets include public toilets, markets, signage, fine collection, land rates, garbage taxes and head tax.”
Ellery said LCA would conduct a asset and revenue audit to update its registry on all the assets and the expected revenue.