LLG polls plan stays

By PETER WARI
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill will confirm this week the date of the 2018 local level government elections after the Government sorts out “conflicting legal advices” which have been causing its delay.
He also told Parliament on Friday that allowances owed to local level government presidents and ward councillors would be paid before the Elections.
O’Neill said he stood by the undertaking he made in Parliament in February that the local level government elections would be held (initially in June or July) this year, and that any changes (to the laws governing the elections) should take place after the exercise was completed.
He said there was no point in creating uncertainty in the minds of our people while the election process was taking place.
He also stood by what he said in February in Parliament that council presidents be elected either by the people or directly by the ward councillors. He said it should be left to each province to decide.
He said there were provinces that wished to have the council presidents elected by the people, and there are provinces that want the presidents to be elected by the ward councillors.
O’Neill said the outstanding allowances claimed by LLG presidents and ward councillors should be settled before the country held the elections.
“I have made those statements in this House and they stand. Those instructions remains as I have stated. And those who do not like them have to find another job,” he said.
East Sepik Governor Allan Bird had asked O’Neill if the undertakings he made five months ago still stood or had they been “overwritten by people who work for the PM”.