I will clean up Madang: Kramer

By GLORIA BAUAI
MADANG MP Bryan Kramer says he will clean up the systems aggressively to make Madang the leading district in the next five years.
“Last term I was fighting corruption to change the government at the national level,” he said.
“But to change the country, I must change Madang first.
“The next two years of this term, I’ll focus on Madang.
“Madang will undergo a major reform to better our children’s future.
“We will deal with all the settlements, the urban drift, policing, law and order, petty crimes, education.”
Kramer thanked his supporters for an overwhelming 25,000 votes.
He is the first MP to hold second term in office for the district since 1987.
“I became the member when Madang was corrupt, there was only K1million in the district account and an outstanding K2.5 million loan,” Kramer said.
Meanwhile, Kramer said interference of the electoral process by officials was illegal.
“Scrutineers have the right to stop counting to conduct scrutiny, unlike counting officials as per Section 178,” he said.
He was commenting on the outstanding polling allowance for counting officials.

MP to probe counting in district

INVESTIGATIONS will be carried out into counting centres and those found to have intentionally interfered with the process will be held accountable, says Madang MP Bryan Kramer.
“If returning officers (RO) or their assistants (ARO) and electoral officials disrupted the electoral process, you will face the court or parliamentary committee,” Kramer said, when addressing the counting officials of Madang at Tusbab Marape Hall on Sunday afternoon.
After arguing with election manager Sponsa Navi for their outstanding polling allowances, officials demanded their RO Joe Sakipa not to sign off the writ for Madang until this concern was addressed by Kramer.
Sakipa conveyed the message to Kramer who flew to Madang from Port Moresby for his declaration.
“The officials have not received their polling allowances close to a month now which is not right as per the law stating that this money should be ready soon after polling,” Sakipa said.

Naguri committed to resettle displaced Manam islanders

Bogia MP Robert Naguri is committed to prioritising the Manam resettlement programme in his next five-year term after his re-election.
He said the Pangu Pati under Prime Minister James Marape, would progress the permanent resettlement of the displaced Manam islanders.
“This is an outstanding issue for us,” he said.
“My people have been blaming the government, this is 18 or so years of neglect by successive governments.
“The care centres have turned into illegal settlements, no one cares for them anymore as they struggle to survive.
“This must change now so they can be able to manage their own lives freely.”
During polling, settlers at Asurambe care centre aired their frustrations, saying that they would not vote in the next election if the same treatment continued.
Naguri appealed to Manam settlers to be patient as he liaised on their behalf.
“My Manam people are frustrated because of the socio-economic issues they’re faced with daily and we cannot blame them for this as they have been living it hard for years,” he said.
“We already have the Manam Resettlement Authority board in place which was formed under the Prime Ministership of Peter O’Neill; the problem however, is funding.
“Work is being done but it’s slow due to funding, this must be addressed by the government,” Naguri said.
Meanwhile, he said the Pangu Pati and coalition partners will make it their priority to reform the country’s electoral system.
“This election has been hard for everyone, including sitting MPs,” he said.
“We can blame the Electoral Commission but as the government, we must also take responsibility that we did not prepare in advance to conduct this election.”
He said the challenging economic period over the last two years contributed to the poor preparation.

Keep count in Mendi: Nupiri

CANDIDATES for the Southern Highlands regional seat are strongly opposing Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai’s statement to transport the regional ballot boxes to a neighbouring province for counting.
Sinai said there were numerous protests staged in Mendi that was preventing counting and other issues at the Momei Oval counting centre.
Independent candidates Peter Nupiri, Alex Awesa and Augustine Rapa said some of the Electoral Commission administrative issues were slowing the counting such as the late setup of the counting centre, failure to pay polling and counting officials and a lack of a central tally room to date.
“On Sunday incumbent Governor William Powi made a statement for the boxes to be transferred and counted elsewhere but we disagreed, we want the counting to continue and a governor to be declared in the province,” Nupiri said.
Nupiri said Sinai needed to reconsider his decision and consult election officials on the ground.