Gobe committee names new board after 24yrs

By JEFFREY ELAPA
AFTER more than 24 years, the people of Gobe oil fields in the Gulf and Southern Highlands have a new board in place after former chairman Philip Kende was voted out.
The landowners claimed the lack of service delivery to the people and the lack of transparency and accountability over the past 24 years had frustrated them leading to the removal of the incumbent executive and having Mathew Sisimolu as the newly-elected chairman.
At a press conference in Port Moresby yesterday, Gobe Leadership Committee (GLC) members said the change in leadership was a result of ongoing frustrations and the failure of the Kende and his board to provide financial and business reports, failing to hold regular meetings as required by the GLC charter.
Sisimolu, who was flanked by 11 of the 21 GLC members, urged the State to release landowner benefits that had been kept from them over the course of the period.
Vice-chairman and pipeline representative James Kaia said they had sidelined Kende in response to the wishes and cries of the people, who had suffered under his leadership.
Gobe PDL 3 chief Soso Tomu said: “Philip never gave financial reports, no audit reports and he never told us the leaders and the people of how he was running the affairs of the people.
“He never told us what investment he made for the people.
“It was a one-man show, a dictatorship style of leadership.
“The people of Gulf, Paim, in Kaim, Sembegri, South East Gobe, Gobe facility and the pipeline people have all joined hands to make a change after many years. The people have cried for far too long.”