Services top of the agenda

By LULU MARK
THE lack of accessible water supply and social services in the Moresby North-West electorate are two reasons that prompted Larry Patterson Kila to contest the open seat at the 2022 general election.
Kila, 44, and a resident of Tokarara and a former employee of the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) is running as an independent candidate.
He was accompanied by his big sister Helen Kila and uncle Mieauri Abura when his nomination was made at 3pm yesterday.
He said there were places right in the middle of the city that still did not have access to water supply or even electricity and it was his plan to work to ensure the urbanisation of the city was fair and catered for all communities.
He added that there were a lot of social issues in the city that needed to be addressed and with a business development background he believed he could affect the necessary change.
Kila added that his father had contested the Moresby North-West seat in 1997 but tragically passed on during the election period and this was something he was doing in honour of his father’s memory.
This is Kila’s first time to contest a the general election.
According to Moresby North-East returning officer Vincent Manukayasi, Kila’s nomination brought the total nominations for the open seat to 14 so far.
Manukayasi said female candidate Fai Tukeo was nominated yesterday as well. “Tukeo is a women’s leader from Morata Ward 10,” he said.
Manukayasi added that popular singer Anslom Nakikus had nominated for the seat on Friday and 11 nominating the day before.
“I am expecting 30 candidates by the end of the nominations,” he added.
Manukayasi clarified that even if there was no candidate nominations in a day, his team was required by law to open at 8am and close at 4pm.

Campaign after Thursday 4pm, RO says

On the road … Supporters of former Markham MP Andrew Baing (left) who were part of a convoy who cycled from Umi to Mutzing station in Umi Atzera LLG to witness the nomination of the former deputy prime minister yesterday. Baing, as leader of People’s Progress Party in 2003, was deputy prime minister in the National Alliance-led government of late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare. He is endorsed by the National Alliance to contest the Markham open seat in this year’s general election. – Picture supplied

CANDIDATES and their supporters have been urged not to take advantage of the nomination period to campaign.
Moresby North-East Returning Officer Billy George said campaign should start after the nominations close on Thursday at 4pm.
George said all candidate names will be drawn on Friday at the NCD Electoral office in Boroko and candidates would then be advised of their numbers.
Meanwhile, Moresby North-East seat has 46 candidates, the highest number in the National Capital District since nominations opened last Thursday.
George said out of the candidates that have nominated four were women while 42 were men and they are anticipating more in the next three days.
He said Moresby North-East was the only electorate in NCD that recorded two candidates on Saturday.
“About 55 candidates nominated in 2017 for the Moresby North East seat and the same is expected or slightly more depending on the interest of individual nominees,” he said.
Other two male candidates also filed their nominations yesterday, David Tawai Paine, from Northern who now resides at the ATS Settlement and had contested the Northern regional seat in the 2012, and a first time candidate retired PNG Defence Force Captain Lore Tununto from Eastern Highlands.

Namah says he wants to be prime minister after election

OPPOSITION Leader Belden Namah wants to see 10 per cent of the National Budget going towards God’s work through churches nationwide.
Namah is defending his Vanimo-Green seat for a fourth time, and he said his intention was to serve the Office of the Prime Minister after the general election.
“I cannot just walk into the job. PNG Party needs to win the most number of seats among other to form the Government after the election,” he said.
“We have 85 candidates for you to elect.”
Namah said the task for the next Government was difficult with an expanding list of the country’s problems.
“Solving the problems will require the efforts of more than one man or party,” he said.
“It will require all the resources this country can put together and much more…time, effort, energy and sustained commitment.
“God has blessed this country with breath taking beauty and a multitude of resources which are the envy of many nations.
“We just have not managed the resources well but this legacy will change.”
Stating that he had zero tolerance for corruption, “my mission is to invest in human resources, giving Papua New Guineans jobs for which they are skilled and reward them handsomely”.
“The Government must create policies and ensure there are programmes and funding to deliver both,” Namah said.
“The business of the Government is not to go into business or to invest in resource projects.
“These practices in the past have created competing priorities, where we throw limited resources into business and interfere in operations in businesses torn by conflicts of interest,” he said.
“This confusion shall cease and we shall concentrate on the business of Government to regulate, leaving sufficient resources, time and people to build infrastructure; to give our children universal primary education; to care for our sick and elderly.”