Khay: Commission bid misunderstood

 By GABRIEL LAHOC

LAE Lord Mayor James Khay says that critics misunderstand his push for the city to gain commission status.

The Lae City Commission proposal was shelved last month by the Morobe provincial executive council. 

Khay said he was facing stiff opposition from some community leaders and rival candidates for the mayor’s seat in the local level government elections.

He reiterated that the current Lae City Council was underfunded despite being responsible for the country’s industrial hub.

“It’s not that Lae will benefit from the separate funding and get more share in taxes than the other districts of Morobe, it’s a misunderstanding under the sun,” Khay said.

“People are thinking that Lae City Commission will become like Port Moresby; no, there will not be another governor apart from the Morobe governor.

“We have to have a separate act of its own and a separate status and that act will empower us to collect enough to really improve the city. That act will give us the teeth to bite, there is no other way to rescue this city.”

Khay said the commission proposal was again brought to the attention of a team of visiting officials from the office of provincial and local level government affairs last month to reconsider.