Basil Jnr files nomination

By REBECCA KUKU
HUNDREDS of men, women and children, clad in black mourning clothes and painted faces, gathered in Bulolo yesterday to witness Sam Basil Jnr file his nomination papers.
Basil Jnr, son of the late deputy prime minister Sam Basil, is defending the Bulolo seat for his father and the United Labour Party (ULP).
Basil Jnr was nominated yesterday at 11.23am in the Bulolo district administration building amid the sounds of blaring vehicle horns on the back of the crowd chanting his name.
After his nomination was accepted, Basil Jnr thanked the people from the four local level governments of the newly declared Bulolo – Buang, Mumeng, Bulolo Urban and Watut.
“Some of you know me, some of you do not, you may be wondering who I am, what sort of man I am, but I am here, because you called me, you wanted me to contest so I came to be nominated,” Basil Jnr told the crowd.
Basil Jnr said the Bulolo seat was not his birth right nor that of his family. “My father did clean campaigning during general elections.
“He never went around smearing other candidates.
“I will act the same in his honour.
“The Bulolo seat is a public seat that anyone can contest for.
“You all must respect the other candidates as it is their right to contest,” he added. He said his family was still mourning, “so we will carry out a low key election campaign”.

Former MP urges people to vote wisely

Democratic political leadership is a power of the people that is vested in members of parliament through the election process and people must be well informed to elect their leaders in this election, a former MP says.
Two-time Huon-Gulf MP and now United Labour Party candidate for Morobe’s Huon Gulf open Tukape Masani said eligible voters needed to be informed and vigilant.
He said people had to vote for leaders who were vocal on the issues of the district and province rather than national issues to bring in much needed services.
Masani urged the people of PNG to vote wisely in the 2022 general election as this was a critical time for the country.
“Voters must not dance to the music in the spur of the moment and forgot about their future and that of their children,” Masani said.
“Casting a vote during polling takes less than five minutes.
“The candidates that people vote for can either improve the provision and delivery of basic government services and infrastructures or let the voters continue to suffer for the next five years.”