Delegating powers to provinces illegeal: Kua

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SHADOW Attorney-General Kerenga Kua claims the promise to delegate more powers to provincial governments is illegal and unconstitutional under the current framework of our laws.
Kua, pictured, said there were three main reasons for this.
“Under our legal framework, the people’s powers is vested in the central government,” he said.
Kua said the National Parliament could delegate some of these powers to the provincial and local- level governments through an organic law.
This has been achieved through the existing Organic Law on Provincial and Local-Level Governments.
He clarified Bougainville was excluded from this regime.
“If anymore powers are to be delegated to the provincial governments starting with East New Britain, West New Britain, New Ireland and Enga, the Organic Law on Provincial and Local-Level Government must be firstly amended,” Kua said.
He said if there were criteria and benchmarks to be achieved to quality for more decentralised powers, then those benchmarks must be spelt out in an amended organic law.
“That will enable all provinces to have a fair and equal opportunity to make a bid for it,” Kua said.
“The criteria must be published in the amended organic law.”
He said the debate of centralised or decentralised powers and everything in between was important.
Kua said laws must be followed to avoid making false and illegal promises.