Chimbu returns Noah Kool as governor

AFTER a lengthy counting process for Chimbu, Noah Kool was declared Governor again on Tuesday with an overwhelming 93,780 votes.
Kundiawa businessman Gerard Philip was runner-up with 76,525 votes.
Kool, a Liberal Party candidate, thanked the people of the province for having trust and confidence in him. He said the governorship was not new to him as he was in the ninth Parliament when he was governor from 2012 to 2017.
“Chimbu is one of the last to have the declaration, the counting officials have done a good job to have the declaration,” Kool said.
He promised to do his best to serve the people from the six districts in the province.
He said he was ready to revive the provincial motto “Going Rural, Go Long Ples’’ to serve the people in the rural areas.
Chimbu returning officer Rev Tom Sine congratulated Kool, saying that they finally found a governor after a lengthy and cumbersome counting and elimination process compounded by complaints and queries.
He said the counting could have been completed with the rest of the open seats and other provinces but candidates and scrutineers bombarded the counting officials and returning officers with complaints.
“The police, defence force and Correctional Services officers provided excellent security for the duration of the counting.”