Funding slammed in mayors’ meeting

By PISAI GUMAR
THE roles and functions of urban mayors and local level government (LLG) presidents to manage and implement service delivery are laughable, Maprik Mayor Paul Dingu says.
Dingu likened the urban LLG system  structure and functions to paddling out to the deep ocean and leaving one there to swim ashore without navigational or safety gear.
“How you swim to reach the shoreline is up to each urban mayor and LLG president, we’re dumped and left out in the cold for far too long,” Dingu said.
He spoke about the system during the third Mamose mayors’ conference in Lae this week, highlighting the fact that Maprik urban LLG has not  received LLG services (LLGSIP) funding for the last four years.
“The mayors and presidents are seen as the MPs’ briefcase carriers and it’s a laughing stock,” Dingu said.
“LLGs need a separate budget directly allocated from the national purse and the Mamose mayors conference will ensure this proposed resolutions will reach the National Executive Council,” Dingu said.
Wau-Bulolo Urban Mayor Soga Gaumina agreed with Dingu that despite the township being recognised as a rich LLG, the standard of social services has been poor.
“We are not progressing . . . and I urge the council managers also to work with us.”