ABG Gears Up For Election

ABG Gears Up For Election

www.postcourier.com.pg/20100323/tuhome.htm

PORT MORESBY (Islands Post/Pacific Media Watch): Autonomous Bougainville’s second presidential election is set for March 26, when writs get issued for the start of polling.

This election will cost the national Papua New Guinea government and the ABG more than K6 million to run, but that is immaterial as it is not the duty of the ordinary people of Bougainville to fund this election.

Bougainvilleans have two weeks before they know who will be contesting which seats. There are 40 seats to be contested - 33 member seats, three women seats, three ex-combatant seats and the presidential seat.

These are the dates when polling starts:
*Issue of writs – March 26
*Close of nominations – April 2
*Polling starts - May 7
*Polling ends – May 21
*Return of writs – June 9

Bougainville has a voter population of more than 121,000 but the 2000 census figure for the population is still 185,000. These figures have increased over the years and sooner or later a new common roll will be announced when writs are just about issued and after the completion of the update to ascertain the full voter population of Bougainville.

Leaders in the likes of former national parliamentarian John Momis have come back to Bougainville. Momis cut short his term in office as the Ambassador of Papua New Guinea to China to return to the region and contest this second presidential election.

Momis resigned from the Bougainville Regional seat in 2005 to contest the first ABG presidential elections against rebel leader Joseph Kabui.

He was beaten and soon after took off to Port Moresby and was later offered the diplomat position in China.

Late last year Momis resigned as Ambassador in China to come back and contest the second ABG presidential election, this time up against sitting MP James Tanis.

Others to contest the seat will include businessman and Bougainville’s Business Association president Robert Atsir.

Atsir is also the face behind the famous CDA Finance and currently the Bougainville Resource Development Corporation (BRDC) chairman. Lawyer Reuben Siara will also battle for the same seat with Kabui’s own brother Martin Miriori, to name a few.

The rest will probably be number splitters – as always the Haku constituency again provides the highest presidential candidate numbers.

Five years ago Bougainvilleans voted for their leaders, be it constituencies, ex-combatants, woman representative and or the president. This election, the Bougainvilleans who voted five years ago will vote again – this time with an idea whether the leader they voted for in their constituency, the ex-combatant they put their mark on or the woman representative they voted for should be retained or changed depending on whatever judgment they can make.

Bougainvilleans should not be “fooled” by the picture of an airplane that’s depicted in the highest K100 notes tucked in bundles if hand-fed by these sitting MPs or the upcoming candidates. They should also not be fooled by the money handed out as “service delivery” or “thank you gifts” that some are about to or already have been delivering or receiving. They should also not be fooled about the nonsense language many Bougainvillean leaders will say.

Bougainvilleans should be allowed their freedom to choose which ever leader they think should govern, implement and lead with utmost respect and with the knowledge that he/she stands for one purpose and that is the future of Bougainville and its children. This is the time to choose.

Bougainville has five years before referendum and eventually independence – a leader that is needed is one that can bring about development.

New initiatives to create a better Bougainville, a leader that hears or sees the cry of the ordinary people is what matters most – not someone who spends half of his century time flying in, flying out, partying, knee jerking and or dressed in three piece suits locking his door to every person wanting assistance.

Bougainvilleans, this is a critical time for all - it is not the time to rethink, but a time to reflect, to look back at the five years your leaders spent in that Tsuhana of yours – (the House of Representatives)…to see whether in these five years, your leaders put back something in your constituency, a time to see whether your aid post has been repaired, your schools have been properly kept up, the cries of your mothers and children have been heard, the needs of a community fulfilled, the farmers cry at least although not fully met but looked at.

The rural roads at least maintained or your leaders at least sit with you in your communities to advise how much money he/she had been allocated, how much money he/she has spent on impact projects in your community or simply if ever he/she had an impact in your community over these five years, one way or another – and then you can make your mark.

This is the time for Bougainvilleans to choose your leaders that will hear your cries and look and act on them, leaders that will look into your eyes to see the suffering you are going through and leaders who will stand for you, your children and the development of Bougainville.

Over to you Bougainvilleans! this is the day for you to make your mark for the betterment of Bougainville.

ENDS

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