Female voted in as deputy mayor

 By MORTIMER YANGHARRY

A FEMALE ward councillor has been appointed Wabag’s deputy mayor.

Wabag Urban Ward One councillor Lennie Maliso, a former primary school teacher and a mother of four, was unanimously appointed by the Wabag Urban local level government.

She is married to Senior Constable Mokosere Maliso, a police officer attached with the Criminal Investigation Division at the Wabag police station. Maliso won the council seat in the recent LLG elections. Her win was considered an upset because of the dominance of men in politics in the province. She was the only female candidate standing against five men.

Wabag Urban Ward One includes the Wabag Lai Police Barracks, home of more than half of the police personnel in the province. The ward covers the John Momis Soccer Oval currently undergoing renovations, Wabag Guest House, Lupa Motel and Port Moresby Institute of Matriculation Studies Wabag branch.

The ward is regarded as “multi-cultural” because the residents are from all over the country.

“I thank town mayor Kennedy Kyak and my other male colleagues for having trust and confidence in me,” Maliso said.

Maliso said the experience of being a school teacher for more than 20 years would help her in her new role.

“I would like to encourage and challenge Engan women to excel whether in business, sports, politics, education and in other areas,” she said. “Enga has changed. We no longer live in a male-dominated society.”

Maliso said Wabag MP Robert Sandan Ganim and Kyak had many plans for the town and it was a challenge for her to be part of a dynamic team.