Elected local officials meet

ROLES in representation and communicating competency by  elected local leaders is the approach of this year’s meet between lord mayors, mayors, councillors and officers of local-level governments.
Elected local officials from cities and towns were in Port Moresby for training and a workshop to address representation, powers, and other issues surrounding their roles and responsibilities.
The aim of the gathering is to help them become better leaders and understand good leadership from their scope of representation.
At the end of the meet this week, the leaders are  planning to call on the Government to address looming issues which are faced at the local level.
The PNG Urban LLG Association executive director Warkia Kaminiel said they would be asking the Government to allocate 25% of goods and service taxes (GST) to the city and town councils and also an increased allowance.
“There are a lot of taxes collected from the cities and towns, yet none of it goes back to them.
“About 40% goes to the National Government while, 60% goes to the provincial governments.”
“In 2005, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare said he was prepared to give us the 25% during our annual conference in Wewak to help us carry out our responsibilities effectively, however, nothing has been done since then.”
Mr Kaminiel said he would be presenting a submission tomorrow proposing an increase in allowances for the local leaders.
“If the MPs can have an increase in allowances why can’t we?
“It is the same people that elected the MPs who elected the local officials.”
The meet would also touch on the National Government’s urbanisation policy.