Rapa appeals for peaceful elections

 WESTERN Highlands Deputy Governor and three-term Hagen rural president Wai Rapa has appealed for peaceful LLG elections in the province.

Rapa, who is also the chairman for Wamp Nga Group of companies, said this yesterday when he paid his nomination fee to contest the president’s seat. 

Rapa said the power was now with the people and he challenged them to elect their councillors and presidents wisely.

“I want sitting councillors and presidents in the province, including the new candidates, to show leadership by campaigning peacefully and by respecting one another,” he said.

He said the titles they were now carrying around was not their birth right but it was a public office.

Rapa said last year’s national election in the province didn’t go well and he didn’t want the same to happen in the council elections.

“I want to appeal to people in my LLG and others to screen the candidates properly before electing them,” he said.

He said the new system where the people would be electing presidents would create a big gap between the presidents and councillors.

“The presidents will think that the councillors didn’t elect them and they will do things at their own wish and many councillors will not be happy with that,” he said.

But Rapa said the Government had made a decision and they would go by the decision and respect the people’s choice.