Limit compensation, says Powi

COMPENSATION is a major concern for the Southern Highlands government, says Governor William Powi.
It is resorting to put a limitation through a legislation that is expected to be passed by the provincial executive council (PEC) this week.
Powi said the issue of compensation had been seen as way of becoming rich overnight, despite the spirit of compensation for maintaining peace and harmony.
He said his government would now regulate compensation in the province so there would be certain amount of money and pigs to pay.
Powi said compensation continued to make people become poor as they had to “dig out their very last toea they have saved for their children’s education and for other purposes including venturing into business or for building a good, decent home for the family”.
He said PEC would pass a legislation so that any cash payment should not exceed K100,000 and 100 pigs.
“A lot of people demand K2-3 million but I want to ask you: have you ever touched that kind of money or not?” Powi said.
“K100,000 is a lot of money.
“We are concerned of this new trend of compensation demands in this province and we want to address it.
“Some of you will not like me for that, but we have to put a limit somewhere and today is the time for that.
“This is not the first time I’m trying to limit compensation.
“There have been discussion everywhere.
“The Southern Highlands provincial government has seen the need to regulate it to help everyone.
“We can’t demand too much money and pigs.
“How many cows and cassowaries you want to put is up to you, but for cash, we limit to K100,000 and for pigs, we put a limit to 100 pigs,” he said.
Powi said he paid K300,000 cash and 300 pigs to the relatives of three people who died as a result of election-related violence but that did not mean he had all the cash and pigs.
“These pigs and the monies are from my supporters throughout Southern Highlands,” he said.