Gulf MPs, leaders to elect new Governor

 THE Gulf provincial assembly meets today to elect a governor to replace Havila Kavo.

Kavo, 53, from Orulario village in Ihu, Gulf, was jailed for 18 months with hard labour by the National Court  last December for misappropriating K131,338 of public funds five years ago. 

He was released on bail two weeks later pending an appeal against his conviction.

Last month, Kavo was further charged with allegedly misappropriating almost K783,000 of provincial government funds since his release on bail.

He was questioned by Port Moresby police, locked up for a night, before being released on bail for a second time.

Kikori MP Mark Maipakai, Kerema MP Richard Mendani and eight local level government presidents have been camping outside Port Moresby for the past two weeks to elect a new governor.

Maipakai said Gulf had only three MPs. 

“The assembly is sitting (and) we have 10 members on our side,” he said.

“We’ll have our usual assembly and if things are okay, then we’ll progress. We have the majority on our side.”

Kavo is maintaining that despite the pending court cases, he remained the Gulf Governor under the Constitution.