North Bougainville

Marape said in recognizing the need to elevate more women to the National Parliament, Ms Semoso has stood out in North Bougainville as a strong candidate hence her selection by the party.

“In recognition of the need to elevate more women to the National Parliament, Ms Semoso has stood out in North Bougainville hence her selection,” said Marape.

“Ms Semoso has shown strong leadership in Bougainville where she is active among the community. For Bougainville, we are well aware of the role women play in traditional and contemporary cultures and Ms Semoso’s involvement.

The tanks were delivered under a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) project initiated by the Rurei women’s group and supported by the Australian government under the Bougainville Partnership Program.

The water tanks are attached to houses in the village, providing around 450 people with clean water.

Easily accessible water reduces the burden of water collection. In many places – Rurei included – this is a task undertaken by women and girls, taking time away from education, employment and community activities.

The service providers are demanding the Electoral Commission to pay their outstanding payments before the ballot boxes are released.

The service providers are owed outstanding payments of K29 000 from the 2012 National Elections and K49 000 from the 2015 Autonomous Region of Bougainville Elections.

Bougainville election manager Desmond Pimiyaso said despite this hiccup, polling has been running smoothly with no intimidation, harassments or threats to voters and polling officials.

Dadae who is currently in his Kabwum electorate of Morobe province paying last visits to his people, speaking from the border of Raicoast in the Madang Province that Sir Michael served the country faithfully until his death.

Dadae said Sir Michael was a well-respected leader who has contributed so much towards the development of this country through his sheer determinations.

The venues will be at Bonus, Hutjena and Tarlena and prize money of K11,000 is up for grabs.

Youths in north Bougainville have praised the Member for North Bougainville for such an initiative that brings people together. A youth spokesperson from the Taonita Tinputz area, Stanley Pakita told Loop PNG that at least we have an event to celebrate New Year with.

“We would like to thank the honourable Member for North Bougainville Louta Atoi for sponsoring the tournament. It’s one of the most significant events for youths,” Pakita said.

A very senior ex combatant in North Bougainville Eddie Mohin told Loop PNG that everyone must  continue to uphold there Christian and spiritual values.

“We tend to forget our spiritual side and also we forget the fact that Papua New Guinea is a Christian country, during the crisis everyone was committed to praying and going to church because the situation was tense that time,” Mohin said.

“Come normalcy everybody stopped thinking about praying and going to church we just forgot about God our almighty father,” he said.

Regional Police Commander Aili Spencer warns the general public of North Bougainville to be careful of people who are out and about town, and especially remote village areas, promising large amounts of money as a fast return for their investment.

Such schemes have already been in other parts of the country and are becoming an effective way to rob people of their pockets.

The public is asked to be on high alert for people like that and should report to the police as soon as possible.

Commander for North Bougainville Police, Inspector Aili Spencer urged the community to be prepared and be able to ask questions to the officers conducting the awareness. The locals were urged to clarify anything that has to do with the law and order in the community.

He said all sections within the police department will be represented by an officer and therefore it is better for people attend and ask questions if they have any doubts.

The public must not see this awareness as belonging to the police or those who conduct awareness, but rather a two way conversation.