City council given municipal role

By PISAI GUMAR
MINISTER for Inter-Government Relations Kevin Isifu has urged the people of Lae to embrace the city as an “asset”.
Isifu was speaking yesterday when signing ministerial direction to enable Lae City Authority (LCA) interim board to undertake all municipal functions and responsibilities.
Some of the functions include administering and collection of fees, charging taxes and implementing projects within Lae.
“The LCA shall not interfere with the local level government law-making powers, but to give effect to these LLG laws,” Isifu said.
He called on the people of Lae to work in unity to build a modern city for future generations, rather than seeing it as a mere opportunity to enrich themselves.
Isifu said Lae city was akin to a hen that would continuously lay eggs to feed the national coffers.
He said unity and partnership to nourish and nurture the hen were required from all stakeholders, Morobe provincial government, companies and citizens of Lae.
LCA interim structure and positions was approved for chief executive officer and managers for corporate services, engineering and technical, health and community, regulatory and principal legal officer. Isifu said he wanted to see effective municipal services delivered to taxpayers with innovative, cost-effective mechanisms, and high-level communications with businesses, governments, provinces, regions and global partnerships such Cairns sister-city concept.
“We must aspire to build a modern city for our future generation that will embrace the legacy we leave behind for them,” he said.
“Focus to solve problems, commit to learn, go out of the way to find solutions to Lae city issues, and ensure to implement required Government medium-term development plans and visions.”
Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs secretary Dickson Guina said the ministerial document demarcated the functions of LCA as an interim entity, apart from Lae district, to execute its functions to LLGs and wards.