Pastors back Toni’s view on bill

By GABRIEL LAHOC
COMMUNITY Development, Youth and Religion Minister Loujaya Toni has received support and encouragement from the Lae Ministers Fraternal in her stance against the proposed 22 reserved seats for women in Parliament.
The first-time Lae MP told parliament recently that she was against the 22 reserved seats for woman.
Fraternal deputy chairman Pr Newman Watapi said they supported Toni because the proposal would set a bad precedence for the national government and parliament to handle.
The Lae Ministers Fraternal comprises of pastors of Pentecostal churches.
Watapi said if women were given seats in parliament just because they claimed to be a marginalised group of citizens, it would encourage other marginalised populations like people with special needs, with HIV/AIDS and youths to push to have their own representatives in parliament.
“We are not against the women and what they do.
“We see them as equal partners in development.
“The three women leaders who were voted into parliament this year have proven that women’s leaders can do the same,” he said.
“You have to be mandated by the people you will represent.
“It may be not fair on the other groups of citizens,” he said.
Newman said the election of three women was an encouragement for more women to make their way into parliament and deliver to the people of the country.