Provincial govt backed

PRIME Minister James Marape says the Government has “total belief and sees great value” in the provincial government system.
“We subscribe to decentralisation – which is deeply entrenched in our Constitution,” he said.
“That is the reason why our nation remains together.”
Speaking at the end of the two-day governors’ meeting in the National Capital District on Monday, Marape said: “In the midst of many challenges, 47 years on, we now have the special region of Bougainville which is under autonomy, we have many performing provinces who want to be functionally autonomous and we also have some provinces, who in terms of their internal revenue were weak. How do we balance this conversation so that the system and structures of government we set up do not become impediments, but help in service delivery to the masses of our people?
“Eighty per cent of our people remain in the provinces and districts.”
Marape said Inter-Government Relations Minister Soroi Eoe would take the recommendations of the Governors to the Government to tailor make a system that was complementary to the Government in terms of service delivery.
“We hope to be expeditious in the way and manner in which we do business,” he added.