MPs show interest to work together, Bird says

National

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
East Sepik Governor Allan Bird says all East and West Sepik MPs have expressed an interest to work together to develop the provinces regardless of where they sat in Parliament.
“All the MPs in the East and West Sepik provinces have no difference whether some of us are in the government. We are also working with the MPs in West Sepik because we share a lot of infrastructure together,” he said.
Bird said they respected Yangoru-Saussia MP and caretaker Minister for National Planning, Labor and Industrial Relations, Trade and Industry and Information Communications, Richard Maru.
“I had conversations with Richard Maru,” he said.
“As you know, he now leads a team in the government. When you think about it, he is a senior politician from Sepik. So we will be looking up to Richard Maru.”
Bird said when addressing Sepik people in Port Moresby that leaders have a reputation for fighting for the national interest.
“A lot of the founding fathers in East Sepik have fought against injustice like Sir Michael Somare, Yawiga, Sir Peter Simogun and others,” he said.
“A lot of leaders who were vocal against injustice were Sepiks.
“However, in the last 20 years there has been a focus on material goods, money and we forget about our good ways.
“You cannot build a society based on money or material wealth.
“I see that there is a great love for money and material in our society than for people.  That has created a lot of inequality and those who have access to lots of resources want to then use their resources to get power and utilise State institutions to suppress others.”