Candidates raise concern over development in Finschhafen

Lae News, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday August 07th, 2012

THE chairman of the group of 30 candidates from Finschhafen who lost the election, Alfred Pogo, has thanked the coalition partners of the ninth Parliament and especially THE Party leader Don Polye for nominating Finschhafen MP Theodore Zurenuoc to be Speaker.
But Pogo, Giossi Labi, Buds Botike, Robert Williong, Jackson Biaro and Tobias Romeang voiced concern now that Zurenuoc was Speaker, he would concentrate on his job and not provide basic services for the people.
“Our understanding of being the Speaker is that he will be kept busy in parliament,” Botike said.
In the press conference, the losing candidates raised issues like the lack of roads and bridges, banking services and the increase in law and order problems in Finschhafen.
“What we want to know is how soon Theo Zurenuoc will be dealing with the law and order issues that are getting out of hand in our electorate,” they asked.
When contacted, Zurenuoc said how he delivered services to his electorate and performed his duties as Speaker would depend on how he organised his time and office to meet his responsibilities.
“First and foremost is my electoral responsibility to the people of Finschhafen and then the recognition that has been bestowed upon me as the Speaker,” he said.
“I see that I am able to better serve my people because Finschhafen has an advantage now that I am the Speaker of Parliament.”
Zurenuoc said he would be returning to spend time with the people in Finschhafen at the end of this week and return to Port Moresby for the opening of the ninth parliament on Aug 21.
The group of losing candidates thanked former governor Luther Wenge for his contributions to the province for the past 15 years.
They said Wenge should accept the election of Kelly Naru as governor and work with Naru for the good of the people.
The candidates called for Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to honour promises he made like  the construction and sealing of the city roads and proposed Lae-Finschhafen road.