Jiwaka headquarters land settled with pigs

 THE Kurmul tea land is still under dispute as acknowledged in the press statement by Governor William Tongamp. 

Why  is he still insisting on  building  Jiwaka provincial headquarters (PHQ) at the mentioned location?

The governor and his tribe were given a lot of pigs and other livestock by the Kurmul people, who are  owners  of the land identified for the PHQ building. 

This must not be tolerated by the people.

Tongamp is wrong when he stated that ‘the issue is now settled’. 

There are many issues not yet settled, including the Jiwaka transitional authority’s decision which was made after consulting with the people to build Jiwaka PHQ in the Banz-Kudjip area in July 2010.

Kurmul tea land is under dispute and Tongamp’s PHQ proposal is madness.

There is no government in  the vicinity to accommodate any expansion and therefore, it  is  costly  to purchase traditional land. 

An impact project such as the PHQ is being decided by the governor without any consultation. 

He  may have the political mandate but must not underestimate the people’s power.

I urge the people to challenge the governor’s behaviour. 

This  is  political dictatorship  and  promoting  personal political interests.

Show that you are educated, have sense of good judgement  and  do  not  wish  to  create hardships for the people, have  the  strength  to admit mistakes and  consent  to  the  decision to establish Jiwaka PHQ in Banz-Kudjip area. 

You will secure a lot of goodwill  and  gain  political  mileage  from  your  people.

William Wii 

Jiwaka