Boundary report bound for parliament

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Friday 11th November 2011

By JACOB POK
A REPORT on the boundaries for the proposed Hela and Jiwaka provinces will be tabled in parliament for a decision on their confirmation.
Parliament will decide whether the two new provinces should participate in the 2012 national election.
Minister assisting the Prime Minister on constitutional matters, Wake Goi, said the Boundaries Commission headed by Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen had completed a comprehensive report on the provincial and open electorate boundaries for Hela and Jiwaka.
He will present it in parliament during the November sitting.
He said recommendations plus maps showing the provincial and open electorate boundaries for Hela and Jiwaka would be part of the 72-page report.
“The compilation of this report followed two weeks of tour of the Hela and Jiwaka regions by six members assigned by the Commission,” he said.
He said the team also held public discussions to get the views of the people.
“Given the very short time frame for the compilation of this report, the Commission did its very best and held public forums at Koroba station, Tari town and Margarima station in Hela then Minj and Banz stations in Jiwaka to gauge the views of the people.
 “Electoral boundaries review was supposed to be done for all provinces nationwide but because of the decision made by the former government, Hela and Jiwaka had been given priority.”
He said although the people of Hela and Jiwaka had openly expressed their views through their local leaders during the open forums, certain individuals doubted the efforts of the Boundaries Commission.
“It is not fair for people who were not actually there to hear the views of the people during those public forums to doubt the efforts of the Commission,” Goi said.
“I therefore appeal to people who are not familiar with Hela and Jiwaka issues in preparation for the 2012 elections not to derail the good intentions of the current and past governments by confusing the majority of the people of Hela and Jiwaka.”