Powi calls for shift in laws

SEVERAL major impediments to service delivery in districts and provinces have been identified and urgent reviews and legislations need to be done, the provincial governors’ council conference heard yesterday.
Former provincial administrator and now Southern Highlands Governor William Powi told the conference at the March Girls
Beach Resort outside Port Moresby that there was a need for immediate reviews before a rollout of government functions at the district and provincial levels.
He said since independence 37 years ago, the country had not experienced change and that lack of services was due to the shared functions and restricted powers of provincial governments.
Powi said the only government function that was transferred to the districts was the district treasury rollout programme.
He said the joint district planning and
budget priority committee and the provincial governments needed to harmonise their functions.