Focusing on youths

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By MELYNE BAROI
MILNE Bay governor-elect Gordon Wesley says the province has fallen behind on education and agricultural development opportunities and his focus would be on these two areas in his term.
The former MP for Samarai-Murua told The National that he looked to make Milne Bay a hotspot for agriculture trade as well as invest in higher education in the province.
“Being an English speaking province with many bright students being produced here, there should be more institutions and even a university already in place to cater for these young population instead of sending them out into other provinces,” he said.
“Milne Bay is also the largest maritime province and yet there are no maritime colleges here to make use of the vast diversity of aquaculture which can be used to educate the youth and give them job opportunities in the province.”
Wesley said he hoped to enhance bilateral relationships with neighbouring countries in strengthening financial ties to back this plans.
He said the national government could not be relied on to deliver services and funding for projects and initiatives.
He said it was necessary to foster good relationships with the donors and international partners who would be willing to invest in the province.
Wesley said that this approach was a way of harnessing youths in the province and to get them involved in positive province building activities.
He said Milne Bay’s youth needed attention as they had been neglected and this had seen an increase in crime over the last five years.
Wesley was declared yesterday evening after polling 43,862 votes surpassing the absolute majority of 40,696.


TSC urges teachers to make up for lost time

By YVONNE KAMBIBEL
TEACHING Service Commission (TSC) chairman Samson Wangihomie is urging all teachers working as election officials in the General Election 2022 (GE22) to make up for lost lessons when they return to class.
Wangihomie said this was especially for teachers who were teaching the examination grades (8, 10 and 12).
“These students will sit their national exams so it is important that their teachers make up for lost lessons to prepare them for their respective examinations,” he said.
Wangihomie also clarified that teachers could be released by the commission under the TSC Act to participate in national events such as the general elections.
“Under the TSC Act, teachers can be released at any time to participate in all national events like national census and sports along with general elections,” he said.
He further clarified only the TSC had the mandate to discourage or stop teachers taking part in national events.
“The Education secretary gave instructions prior to the elections that teachers could take part in this elections,” he said.


Mul passionate about education

North Waghi member-elect Benjamin Mul being greeted by students from the Waignai Christian College in Port Moresby yesterday. Mul is the director of the Waignai Christian College. – Nationalpic by NICKY BERNARD

By HELEN TARAWA
NORTH Waghi member-elect Benjamin Mul wants to focus on delivering education services in his electorate and the country.
Mul, a former North Waghi MP from 2007 to 2012, is the director of the Waignai Christian College (WCC) in Port Moresby.
“I was a member from 2007 to 2012 and now the people of North Waghi have put me back to Parliament,” he said.
“I contested as an independent candidate but I believe in Pangu Pati’s policy on education.”
Being an educationist, Mul believes in delivering education for his electorate and also the country.
“I’m an educationist and I’m the director of WCC and I’m also running some schools around the country.
“I believe in the education policy of ‘leave no child behind,” he said.
Mul said his school addressed the needs of students who dropped out of the main system.
“My school is picking up students who have dropped out from the formal system and I’m giving them a second chance, sending them to overseas universities and colleges.
“I have been using my own resources to help these Papua New Guinean children.”


Maru brands Yama a ‘desperate liar’

YANGORU-Saussia MP elect Richard Maru has branded incumbent Madang Governor Peter Yama a “desperate liar”.
He said this in a statement this week while denying a claim by Yama that he, Usino-Bundi MP elect Jimmy Uguro, provincial election manager Sponsa Navi, provincial police commander acting Supt Mazuc Rubiang and a regional candidate, Ramsey Pariwa were all at named location in Madang recently.
“I totally deny the allegations as nothing of the sought alleged by Yama happened,” he said.
“My wife and I and two of our relatives were having dinner at the Madang Golf Club restaurant with my elder brother’s son, who is a policeman attached with the Police Mobile Squad and is based outside Madang town.
He came with two of his colleagues.
“The PPC (Rubiang) and provincial election manager (Navi) were not having dinner with us at that time nor was Ramsy Pariwa.
Yama’s claim that I was having dinner with these persons is a complete lie.
“Yes, the incumbent MP for Usino-Bundi (Uguro) was there prior to our arrival.
“He was having dinner with his own people.
“And I never knew that he was there until we arrived. Such fabrication coming from Yama is a desperate attempt to disrupt the counting of the votes for Madang provincial seat,” Maru said.
Uguro and Navi also denied Yama’s allegations.
Navi said he had never colluded with politicians in his time serving the Electoral Commission managing elections in Oro, Western, Manus and now Madang.
“These allegations have spoilt my reputation professionally; it has put all our good work in jeopardy and I am very upset,”he said.
Navi said he respected the governor’s office would not take legal action.
“My only call to him (Yama) is to not believe everything and react too quickly,”he said.