Candidates hit campaign trail

 SOUTHERN Highlands Governor William Powi farewelled members of the provincial assembly in Mendi as they hit the campaign trail for the 2013 local level government elections.

Powi told the local level government presidents that the provincial government was prepared to work with whoever won the elections and party politics did not matter.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, who also attended the provincial assembly meeting and launched the first provincial master plan,  wished them well.

He said the LLG elections would go ahead although some provinces had opposed the idea of having the people elect the LLG presidents instead of the councillors.

“Sorry for the petition by some provinces but we’ve changed the law,” he said.

“Just few to be exempted is not fair when the rest of the country goes into election.”

He thanked members of the provincial assembly for supporting MPs in his government.

As chairman of the joint district   planning and budget priority committee, O’Neill also had a short meeting with the six presidents from his district.

Other MPs present were Imbonggu’s Francis Awesa, Mendi’s De Kewanu and Nipa-Kutubu’s Jeffery Komal.