Southern Highlands Governor

Ialibu-Pangia electorate has been allocated K9.5 million for various projects; K800,000 for  East Pangia High School, K500,000 for Wiru High School, South Wiru cultural and disaster offices getting K100,000 each and Ialibu town market getting K500,000.

Both the Ialibu hospital redevelopment and Ialibu police housing projects will be carried out by Asi Holdings Limited at a cost of K2 million each.

The potato farming project will equip 75 percent of the rural population in SHP as the market is available in Pangia.

Governor Powi allocated K2 million each to five districts to help local farmers plant potatoes and supply them to the Pangia potato chips factory.

The factory requires five container shipments every week and at present, potatoes are being supplied by other provinces.

The SHP Governor is calling on all Southern Highlanders to stop working for others in plantations and come back to their respective electorates to work for themselves.

The petition has been listed for hearing of a motion on objection to competency on Monday, February 11^th.

The petition went for mention before Trial Judge, Justice George Manuhu, today.

He urged all parties to respect the court process, which will deal with the merits of the election dispute and not on threats and intimidations.

Justice Manuhu issued the remarks after it was brought to the court’s attention by one of the parties that ‘threats’ were being issued.

Powi claimed that security personnel were compromised in carrying out their duties in upholding the rule of law. 

Powi was issuing his personal apology to the nation in Port Moresby today.

Whilst apologising, he claimed that security personnel who were on ground did not prevent state properties from getting burnt.

“The security personnel were on the ground when the incident happened last Thursday but haven’t done anything to stop these terrorist acts by certain individuals.

This was against a notice of motion that was filed by Southern Highlands Governor William Powi.

Powi had filed a motion to refer 8 proposed questions to the Supreme Court for interpretation.

The motion is brought pursuant to section 18 of the Constitution.

The eight proposed questions relate to the proper exercise of power by the Electoral Commissioner to stop counting of votes and declare the first respondent, William Powi, as candidate elected under Section 175 of the Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections.

 They said this could be done until until such time the vetting process is done and genuine landowners are identified in their specific provinces.

Hela Governor, Francis Potape, and Southern Highlands Governor, William Powi, said this on TVWAN’s ‘Nau’ Program last night.

Both Governors said as the duly elected leaders of their respective provinces, they could sign on behalf of the unidentified leaders given the looming deadline on December 31.