Two women declared councillors

 Two women were declared councillors in wards 2 and 3 in the Madang urban local level government yesterday.

Counting started slowly on Tuesday but picked up yesterday as boxes for wards three to five were counted, resulting in the two declarations.

The women’s win was a first for both wards.

Fredah Pomat, a long-time resident of Madang, defeated a field including deputy town mayor Chris Tomongo for the ward 3 councillor’s seat.

The mother of five from Markham, in Morobe, has been a career public servant for the past 35 years in Madang.

“I knew all along when I nominated that I would win as I asked the Lord all the time,” Pomat said after her declaration.

Her immediate plan was to bring power and water supply to the Gagasi settlement in her ward, she said.

Martina Barum scored 140 votes to beat runner-up Derrick Manu to be declared councillor in ward 2.

Steven Mond retained the ward 1 council seat for a second term.