Juffa: I did not meet MPs

 By HELEN TARAWA

NORTHERN Governor Gary Juffa did not meet and resolve differences with MPs David Arore (Ijivitari) and Delilah Gore (Sohe) last week as reported in the media.

Juffa told The National yesterday that Arore and Gore met separately with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his Deputy Leo Dion and raised their concerns which were later relayed to him. 

Dion, who is the Inter-Government Relations Minister, last week announced the “successful” outcome of a meeting he facilitated with O’Neill and the three MPs from Northern, including Juffa.

Dion had said that effective and open communication among all national MPs was the “cornerstone for stability and good governance” at the provincial level.

Juffa said he would consider the concerns of the two MPs but was not convinced that he had done anything wrong that would warrant reconciliation. 

He added that one of the concerns raised with him was the delayed processing of payments for the two Northern MPs by the banks and Treasury.

“I was not in any way able to influence these entities, especially the banks, which were private organisations,” Juffa said. 

“The measures undertaken to improve good governance and ensure stringent adherence to expenditure of public funds was necessary to set the foundations that were required to ensure tangible development. 

Juffa said he would let the courts deal with the matter as he had been forced to do so by Arore who insisted that the public were anxious for a result from the courts. 

It is understood that another meeting will be organised by the Deputy Prime Minister’s office for all three leaders.

Meanwhile, Juffa queried Religion, Youth and Community Development minister Gore to explain why K17,000 of department funds were used to accommodate the presidents of Tamata, Tufi, Kira and Afore at the Grand Papua Hotel in Port Moresby. 

Juffa called on Gore to explain why she misled the province and country by claiming she had nothing to do with the bid to remove him as governor.