Allan Bird

Bird said the detailed report did not contain the evidence he had requested for when Parliament sat to pass the 2-month SOE in April.

After Health Minister Jelta Wong tabled his statement yesterday (June 2), which generally outlined the government’s response to COVID-19, Governor Bird said he was disappointed that those responsible failed to comply with the constitutional directive of presenting data that truly reflects the people’s status.  

East Sepik Governor, Allan Bird, made this comment after walking out of Friday’s Parliament sitting.

Madang Governor Peter Yama’s deplorable comments against Madang MP and Police Minister, Bryan Kramer, upset a good number of MPs.

His refusal to withdraw his racist statement saw the Prime Minister leave the chambers, followed by East Sepik Governor.

“The vast majority of the population desire peace and harmony within the community. They will help the police to do their work and we can all weed out the bad apples,” stated the Governor in response to the recent death of an Engan man, allegedly at the hands of police.

“Police should only use violence as a last resort when all else fails.

East Sepik Governor, Allan Bird, made this statement during ‘questions without notice’ in Parliament on December 3^rd.

After that, he directed a series of questions to the Health Minister.

In his first question, the Governor asked Health Minister Jelta Wong if he was prepared to deal with all the companies involved in the supply contracts.

“Mostly foreign companies,” stated Bird.

East Sepik Governor Allan Bird said in Parliament yesterday that many cases posted on social media recently relate to violence against women where husbands kill wives; and boyfriends kill girlfriends without any actions taken by relevant agencies to punish those involved.

“People blo yumi, they must be able to operate freely without violence and intimidation from others. Na disla wok lo stat (to reach) ol epidemic proportions now. Pretty soon we’ll be dealing with violence like we are trying to deal with polyp.”

Provincial leader Allan Bird made this known to the public in Wewak Town recently, while handing over four new police vehicles to the provincial police hierarchy.

He said his government has made law and order its area of priority in order to ensure development can progress in the province.

Governor Bird addressed the public and members of the provincial constabulary that the provincial government will support it with K30 thousand per month to address law and order issues across the six districts.

“Let us start by thinking about the Sepik River people for a moment, more particularly where we see them in 20 or 30 years’ time. Where do they see themselves in that timeframe?” queried the Governor.

“Will they still be fisher folk? Living a semi-subsistence life, selling carvings and other artefacts and performing traditional dances for tourists? Or will more of them desire a decent education, a career or start a business and move to live in a town or city?

“The Maserati deal is just one scandal after another. And we’re asking, when will it stop?

“The process of policing is into question.”

Kramer pointed out the Paraka case, where the case against the Prime Minister was closed, including the Manumanu land deal, where police cleared the implicated Cabinet Ministers of all allegations against them.

Governor for East Sepik Province Allan Bird wanted to know why the Communications Minister has Facebook high on his priority rather than fighting corruption.

 Allan Bird’s questions ranged from the involvement of National Research Institute to conduct research into the use of social media, the curiosity of government’s focus on Facebook instead of other pressing issues and the image it will portray to other APEC countries on freedom of speech and media.

In response, Minister Basil denied newspaper reports that had given a time frame for Facebook to be shutdown. 

“While the focus had been on the earthquake disaster in the Southern highlands, we sometimes overlook the other disasters that have occurred in Papua New Guinea recently,” Witham stated.

The Kadovar eruption on January 2018 has left many people displaced and had a major impact on the lives of people in the Eastern Sepik area.