Implement LLG reform

THE reform on the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government undertaken in 1995, has been sitting idle for ages.
When will the Government implement this bottom-up plan and approach?
I believe the reform is the way forward for our rural local level governments (LLGs) to truly serve our people.
Our third tier politicians are mandated through the election process just like our MPs and governors.
However, there is a huge disparity in many of the privileges and allowances pertaining to our politicians.
Our governors and MPs are overly paid and funded but are not honestly translating our rightful grants to elevate our standard of living.
They seem to enjoy the benefits, hiding away from the people who gave them power in the first place.
However, our third tier politicians are always with the people.
They are doing their best to solve issues with nothing but words of wisdom.
I salute all ward members in the country.
It is a fact that LLGs are poorly funded and ward members are paid a lousy K400 per month.
But even their pay depends on the availability of the Government’s budgets as is it not mandatory to pay ward members allowances but it is just a policy statement, unlike MPs and governors.
On the other hand, our MPs are paid around K14,700 to K32,000 fortnightly and millions of kina in their development grants.
Since 2019, ward members were paid allowances every after six months or more.
I am appealing to our Government to look into the LLG system and address the reality that is affecting our local leaders.
The LLG system is a complete joke at this stage and the reform done in 1995 needs to be fully implemented to empower our third tier politicians to serve our people well.

Sogopipi Stronghold,
Gahuku Neta