Ex-journo ready for new challenges

New South Bougainville MP Timothy Masiu says he faces “huge challenges” in his new job.
The People’s Progress Party member was declared the winner on Monday and told The National yesterday: “This district is like any other district in the country where there are many challenges.”
“Since the (Bougainville) crisis, there have been a lot of things that needs to be done in terms of providing services to the people.
“I have been challenged with the reality and the fact that there are many things to be done.”
Masiu said for a start, there was no office for the South Bougainville MP as he stepped into the vacancy left by the late Steven Kama.
“On the ground there was no office and I am determined to establish one in Buin and have the member located among the people in the district,” he said.
Masiu said another major challenge was the political future of Bougainville.
“We need to sit together and talk about the peace agreement that is in place,” he said.
“One of the challenges that we have is to bring together all the members of Bougainville in the national parliament of Papua New Guinea.
“We need to work together as a team for the people with the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Government and President John Momis, his cabinet and the members of the ABG.
“There are lots of challenges that we face in terms of where we are going in Bougainville.”
Masiu said he would have to sit down with his South Bougainville district administration and work on a path forward from where Kama had left.
“There are so many hardships that people are still facing in terms of service delivery to rural areas,” he said.
“The roads are in a very bad shape, the schools need supplies, health centres and aid posts need to be stocked up with medicines, we don’t have a doctor in Buin.
‘There are so many things to do.
“Right now, I see that everything is all over the place.”
Masiu gave a vote-of-thanks to the people of South Bougainville for having confidence in him.
“I want to work with the people, I want the people to be part of what I’m doing,” he said.
“I want to work with people who are willing to work with the people – not to use the people for their own gain.”
“My motto is, ‘People happy, I’ll be happy.’
“I want to see the people happy, I want to see the children go to school, I want the mothers to have a proper life, I want to work with the churches, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and other stakeholders and the business houses.
“There’s a lot we can do if we come together and work as a team.”