Sir Julius backs self-rule proposal

NEW Ireland governor and parliamentary leader of the People’s Progress Party Sir Julius Chan has supported a call by Morobe Governor Luther Wenge for self-rule for his province.
“I understand the sudden push by Wenge calling for independence of Morobe province from the rest of Papua New Guinea. It exposes clear element of resentment and disintegration among government ranks.
“Continuous breaches and flouting of the constitution have totally eroded the confidence of the people, which must be urgently restored. New Irelanders have endured the pain for a long time because of its small population. Our per capita contribution to the national purse is unmatched.
“We fully support Wenge’s desire for self-rule,” Sir Julius said in a statement.
He called on acting Prime Minister Sam Abal to work towards restoring the public trust in government.
“The people are tired of political motivated court changes, in fact, the government’s record on term is not good, all have been lost.
“All at the cost of not only the people’s money but also the loss of respect for our government.
“The acting prime minister must be resolute and lead the national through this period of turmoil.
“He must stand firm in the founding principles enshrined in the constitution protecting the separation of power between the executive, judiciary and legislature.”