Political parties urged to do more awareness

THE Registry and Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission (IPPCC) has urged political parties to roll-out awareness programmes to ensure people know their policies and roles that would contribute to the country’s development.
During the PNG Political Parties’ policies seminar in Port Moresby recently, IPPCC director-policy and legal division Emmanuel Pok said political parties had to run their programmes annually and report back to the Government because they were State institutions.
“The challenge is now on the political parties to make their policies known to the people and to educate their members of the duties and the functions of the party,” he said.
The three parties that presented their party polices were Our Development Party (ODP), PNG Country Party (PNGCP) and People’s Labour Party (PLP).
ODP general secretary Habia Babe said the party’s policy was based on improving the livelihood of Papua New Guineans and focused to create wealth and grow a sustainable economy.
Babe said if the ODP was mandated during the formation of the next government, it would serve people’s interest through implementation of its nine policies focusing on health, education, manufacturing, good governance, rural development, transportation, spiritual development, national unity and climate change.
PNGCP was represented by national president Nelson Duwabane and vice-president Edwin Usoni.
The party focused on the advancement of the rural areas with four policy platforms: rural development, enterprises, agriculture, and prosperity.