Committee makes stand clear in appeal to provincial government

THE Morobe provincial peace and good order committee is the only legal and authorised body dealing with the crisis in Lae city.
And it is discouraging the issuing of separate petitions to other bodies or leaders, committee chairman Joshua Haggai said.
He was with Morobe Deputy Governor Morokoi Gaiwata and Wampar local level government president and provincial executive council member Peter Namus at the provincial headquarter.
The committee said it was doing its best to restore peace and normalcy in the nation’s industrial hub, and was addressing the issues systematically under its short, medium and long-term plans.
Robert Aiyeng and Robert William were the representatives from the provincial
youth council present.
Haggai said the committee was addressing the original petition presented by the Morobe youth population to them at the height of the uprising.
“Too many groups and their separate petitions are not on, and leaders must stop their politicking by having different arrangements and audience with other petitioners outside of this committee’s knowledge,” Haggai said.
“We won’t entertain any splinter groups who want to promote their own agendas as they are disturbing this legal group,” he said.
He appealed to Morobe parliamentarians to work  with his committee and offer alternative solutions and directions.
Gaiwata said apart from their functions outside of the provincial government level, they were dealing with the situation. The policing, informal sector and vagrancy act issues have been brought to the National Executive Council level by Governor Luther Wenge.
Namus said they also had a meeting Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and chief secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc.
“We don’t need our leaders to meet separately with different groups. This is a sensitive issue and they are playing with fire. They have to respect Haggai as a veteran leader and work closely with us,” Namus said.
Aiyeng and William said Morobeans were expecting a response to the original petition, which was presented by the very people who took matters into their own hands to clean up the city.