Sir Michael urged to appoint administrator

 EAST Sepik Governor Sir Michael Somare and his provincial executive council (PEC) should immediately appoint a permanent provincial administrator to implement the province’s 2014 budget, an assembly member says.

Wewak Island local level government president Pius Bugatar said they should either confirm acting provincial administrator Otto Ganai or make another permanent appointment.

He said the governor and the PEC needed to sort this out so that the budget was implemented this year.

Bugatar said Wewak Island people wanted to see the province’s budget equally distributed to all 27 local level governments (LLGs) in the six districts.

He claimed that some LLGs received very little while others completely missed out.

He added that the K20 million Angoram-Bogia road was a total waste of money.

“Why build a new road when the existing ones are unserviceable and cannot be maintained?” Bugatar said.

“The bulk of our people walk long distances to reach the main highways and transport their cash crops to the markets.”

He said the province’s internal revenue was  lower than Manus province in terms of population per capita because most the East Sepik people could not contribute to its economy.

“Even if we build a road to the edge of Sepik River, we would still need K2 million to K3 million for a bridge. 

“And this K20 million will be left to rot in 50 years before the nation can afford it.

“The 2014 budget must be implemented by permanent public servants and not by Hollywood actors,” Bugatar said.