Jiwaka question to be decided in court

By JEFFREY ELAPA
THE proposed law to create a Jiwaka province will be challenged in the Mt Hagen National Court on Monday, on the eve of the Parliament Budget session.
Anglimp local level government council does not want parliament to pass the law which is on notice paper to be dealt with after the passage of the 2012 National Budget.
The National Court originating summons No. OS 865/2011 was filed on Wednesday.
It seeks to restrain the Minister assisting the Prime Minister on Constitutional Matters, Wake Goi, from tabling the National Boundary Commission report which sets out the Jiwaka provincial boundaries until section 37 and 38 of the enabling legislation had been complied with.
The respondents in the case are Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen, who is the chairman of the Electoral Boundary Commission, the
PNG Electoral Boundary Commission, the state and Goi.
Principal plaintiff and Anglimp council president Elvis Lo, accompanied by Cr Samson Dupai, travelled to Port Moresby yesterday to serve the originating summons on the respondents.
He said the council wanted parliament to postpone the creation of Jiwaka province until at least 2013 because of disputes among councillors on the proposed provincial boundaries.
Lo said they had decided to go to court because their pleas to relevant authorities had fallen on deaf ears. 
They are asking the court to stay the proposed law until 2013 when Jiwaka has in place its own administrative infrastructure and headquarters.
The main concern is to remain part of Western Highlands leading into general election next year.
Lo and Dupai told The National last night that the Jiwaka region was different from the rest of Western Highlands in terms of culture, language and geography. The population is 52,000 which qualified them to form a separate province.
They said political interest should not dictate their future, adding that they expected members of parliament to defer the proposed law when it came before the house.