Manus ends LLG election

 By ELIZABETH VUVU

MANUS is likely to be the first province in the country to successfully complete its local level government elections after its last LLG, Pobuma, declared its president yesterday.

Provincial election manager Parkop Posangat, who was at Pobuma yesterday afternoon, told The National that the LLG was likely to declare its winner for the president’s seat yesterday evening, which would bring the LLG election to an end in the province.

Yesterday at 3pm, polling officers at Pobuma were on their second exclusion as counting progressed.

Posangat said the Pobuma LLG comprised of islands and rugged terrains and coubled with the current windy conditions, polling and counting were delayed.

He said nine councillors were declared for the ward council seats in Pobuma.

People in Manus had voted in 131 ward councillors after four more wards were approved by the Government recently.

The new wards are Buluso ward 14, Hawai ward 17, Sapon Bulihat ward 18 and Ndranir Pihipun ward 19,which are located in the Lelemadih Bupi Chupeu LLG and now have ward councillors with a new president, David Hagat.

Twelve LLG presidents were voted in with Lorengau urban, including first woman mayor Ruth Mandrakamu and 11 presidents for rural areas of Manus.

Two other successful women councillors are Margaret Vanasi for Papitalai ward 4 in Los Negros and Salome Kiapen for Mokara ward in Rapatona LLG.