Dion confirms race for regional seat

EAST New Britain Governor Leo Dion will once again stand for the regional seat in the 2012 general election.
Dion rebuted that he intended contesting the Kokopo electorate seat.
He said he was standing to ensure the continuity of good governance and to protect the gains so far achieved under the province’s agenda recently launched in the provincial development plan and corporate plan.
He said it had not been easy governing the province because of the differences among members of parliament in the province.
“With this experience behind me, I am now challenging all intending  candidates for the coming national election to declare to the people how they propose to tackle corruption in government and the private sector and how they will relate to  each other in facilitating development with the provincial, local level governments and to the wards,” he said.
“While in this seat I needed support for our quest for autonomy from the leaders of this province, but that has not been forthcoming.
“For those intending candidates I challenge them to respect and follow the legal processes and procedures of law regarding public funding and the Financial Management Act as they would be delivering services to the people when they get elected. 
“This is the most important area of good governance.”
Dion said the province had been used by self-centred individuals and companies to access public funds without following the laws through some MPs.
He warned leaders from the province they should not allow themselves to be manipulated and influenced by other people who did not have any respect for the East New Britain way of life and customs.
“I want to see young leaders coming through to be strong and not allow themselves to be used as scapegoats by those who pretend to bring development to the districts and the province, but to stand firm to protect the leadership values and quality as shown by our forefathers, through honesty, fairness, commitment and hard work.”
He welcomed other candidates for the regional seat, saying the position belonged to the people of the province and not to any individual or a particular family group.
He said it applied to other electorates in the province.