MP prefers four seats

By MOUA OMOA
SOHE MP Delilah Gore is calling for four reserved seats for women in parliament instead of the 22 that has been suggested.
Highlighting this yesterday, Gore said 22 seats were too many. However, she proposed there be only four, one representing each region – southern, highlands, Mamose and the New Guinea Islands. 
“I don’t support the 22 reserved seats for women because this would only contradict how I came into parliament. But I would like to see women given autonomy through these four reserved seats – to be the voice for women in each of their regions,” Gore said.
Exercising democracy through the ballot boxes, Gore encouraged women to market their leadership qualities and seek fair representation through the election process. 
“Women should not sit back and relax, and expect to talk their way into parliament. They should go out to the people and show that they will serve their interests and represent them well in parliament.
“I had to show my leadership potential to the people. I had to show that women can make good leaders and I talked to the people to earn their vote.”
Her comment supported that of fellow female MP (Lae) and Minister for Religion, Youth and Community Development Loujaya Toni’s about how women should seek parliament representation through elections.
Gore said being equally elected members of parliament, she and her other fellow female MPs (Toni and Eastern Highlands Governor Julie Soso) had gained equal respect from their male counterparts to have their say in parliament.
Meanwhile, Gore is talking with officers at the National Development Bank to run a men and women in business course in her area, with support from the ministry for trade, commerce and industry.