Kairuku-Hiri

The station has been without water for some time and the cell blocks are unhygienic and unfit for human occupancy.

The shift NCO at the station, Senior Constable Komex Helie, took the Police Media Unit on a tour of the station during a visit this month. Senior Constable Helie told the Police Media Unit that some inmates broke out recently at night time and they are now looking for the escapees.

The concern surfaced in parliament this week and Finance Minister Charles Abel was asked to clarify exactly when it will be fixed.

Local Kairuku-Hiri MP Peter Isoaimo said the issue of the K1.95 million DSIP funding was first raised with former Prime Minister James Marape, when he was still Finance Minister.

Isoaimo said this during his address at the swearing in ceremony of the Provincial Assembly for the Open Members and Governor yesterday.

He said he will continue to push the agenda for the separation of his district and asked for the support of the Provincial Assembly.

He added, this must be the last term for a ‘Kairuku-Hiri’ titled MP, and the next election should have two separate seats.

Meanwhile, Isoaimo said Prime Minister Peter O’Neill gave assurances during the last parliament for the split to be looked at.

(Loop file pic)

Isoaimo reached the absolute majority of 18,011, polling a total of 20,589 votes after exclusion 25.

Rival Paru Aihi of People's National Congress Party polled 15,432 as his final vote count.

Isoaimo will be officially declared by Kairuku-Hiri Returning Officer Tabu Vaira at Bomana CS this afternoon.

This will be Isoaimo's second term in Parliament.

(Loop file pic)

Count 8 votes are from the ballot box from Boera and Lealea in the Hiri LLG.

Haoda leads with 3,967 votes followed by Robert Agarobe on 3,101 votes.

Count 8 results:

Central Regional results from Kairuku-Hiri Open - after count 8

Nou Rage has taken over the lead from Henao Iduhu in the race for the Kairuku Hiri Open seat after count 4.

The results after count 4 are as follows:

It was scheduled to take place this morning however, due to administrative matters, it has been delayed to later this afternoon at the Bomana Correctional Service.

Returning officer Tabu Vaira said the delay is mainly to do with the submission of returns by the presiding officers.

Vaira confirmed that counting will commence with the ballot boxes from the Hiri LLG.

There are a total of 41 ballot boxes from the four LLGs, Mekeo, Kairuku, Koiari and Hiri.

Isoaimo will be recontesting his seat under the National Alliance banner and will be running against former MP and PNC man Paru Aihi.

Lone woman candidate Parte Kwalimu is also in the case for the seat, running as Independent candidate with 11 others.

Draws have been done and the table below shows your candidates and the ballot box numbers they have been allocated this election.

Central Province Pressure Group spokesperson, Lucielle Paru, says the land has been sold to people who had no right over it.

The meet was held to address the issue of the illegal land grabs that are taking place in Central and the recent land grab of Manumanu that had two high profile ministers step aside from their portfolios for allegations of involvement.

From Gabadi, Kairuku-Hiri, Paru said the land itself, as per the Defence organisation, is not suitable for a naval base and that it goes 10 kilometres inland.

This was the statement from Motu-Koita land advocate and former secretary for the Department of Information and Communication, Henao Iduhu.

“All customary landowners in Manumanu-Pinu, Central Province, were never alerted nor consulted and thereby the land was acquired in breach of the Land Act 1996,” argues Iduhu.

Iduhu asked why the Member for Kairuku-Hiri, Peter Isoaimo, did not act in the interest of his constituents earlier to put a stop to this illegal land grab.