Madang youth, women ready to take on men

By DOROTHY MARK

WOMEN and youths will be challenging the “big boys” in the seats for president and ward councillors in Madang.

On Wednesday, truckloads of Sisiak residents arrived with 29-year-old candidate Anton Mande at the Madang Urban LLG office to nominate him for the Madang Urban president seat. 

The current mayor is Mike Kamo.

Youths from compounds and settlements were also nominated, some came with huge crowds to show the support they had.

Many of them were members of the Madang Urban Youth Council.

Mande said candidates holding public offices should resign within a specified time according to the Public Service Act to contest elections.

At the Ambenob LLG chamber, a few women had entered to challenge the president and ward council seats.

Among them was Mile Aigil, a Chimbu woman married to a local Madang man from the Alopa area. She is contesting the president’s seat.

Maryanne Bigol will stand for a Ward 10 council seat in Ambenob LLG. 

Aigil said: “Madang women have been restricted for too long by their culture to speak out on issues affecting them and the community.”

She added that this was what motivated her to challenge men in the elections.