Morobe govt defers special Tutumang meeting

MEMBERS of the Morobe government were turned away after a special Tutumang meeting yesterday was deferred to a later date yet to be decided.
Twenty-nine local level government presidents from 33 local level government areas in Morobe showed up after the provincial executive council on Monday called for the Tutumang meeting to discuss urgent matters.
Tutumang clerk Wingkeo Waliong told The National that the assembly meeting scheduled for Monday was deferred to Tuesday.
Only the PEC meeting was held on Monday and the Tutumang was scheduled for yesterday but it was called off and another time will be decided.
The 29 presidents arrived yesterday and found a notice saying that “due to parliament session, the Tutumang was cancelled to a later date”.
Umi-Atzera President Daki Mao said the late cancellation left presidents who had travelled from Tewae-Siassi, Finschhafen, Menyamya, Markham, Wantoat, Waria, Kabwum and Morobe stuck in Lae without lodging and allowances.
“Even no one from the governor’s office and chairman of government business Manasseh Laina are advising us what is happening,” he said.
“Saonu (Ginson) and Laina knew that Tuesday was for parliament sitting, then why did they call the Tutumang?
Mao said the Tutumang was important because the term of acting administrator Sheila Harou lapsed on Friday and Morobe needed a permanent administrator appointed immediately.
“Such attitude by Saonu and Laina shows the symptoms of chaos because the governor and Laina failed the 29 presidents which is an adequate number for a quorum.” Mao said.
“(Judas) Nalau was bestowed the deputy governor without portfolio and he’s unable to act as the deputy governor because Saonu has yet to officially confer that mandate.”