By Joe WASIA
The Tsak constituency in Wapenamanda district of Enga Province is the home of some of the highly educated elites in Papua New Guinea including the head of the PNG's legal system, Chief Justice Sir Salomo Injia. He hails from the Waimin tribe of the Tsak constituency in the district.
The constituency has its own Local Level Government Council president and has more than 30 council wards. The district administration is comprises of two council presidents from the two constituencies, the district administrator and the open MP as the chairman. This is under the amended law of Provincial and Local Level Government Act.
Under the amended law, the 22 provincial governments receive separate funding from the national government while districts receive K10million direct funding from the government annually. The LLGs will now receive K500 000 direct funding from the national government. This is after governments decision to divert its forecast on the service delivery in all rural districts.
For year's, since PNG's political independence, the people of Tsak had no problems relating to anyelections. They were the peace-loving people in the province. However, this year LLG election has turned into nightmares for the whole constituency.
At least one life lost and many injured and food garden and properties worth hundreds of kina have been destroyed. The incident started in the middle of the constituency after some rival candidates tried to hijack the ballot boxes from different council wards. Fight broke out at 11AM with several gunfire.
Polling for many council wards was suspended while only few have completed. Most of the people in those council wards where polling completed were never been given their constitutional rights for voting. The supporters of certain candidates for president seat and ward council have taken all the ballot papers and voted at their wish.
In Waimin Kungu LLG Council Ward (Box 1)-Kwia has turned into nightmare after certain people high-jacked the ballot box containing 786 votes. After filling out all the ballot papers in the box they wanted the returning officer to sign the papers but the RO refused to sign as he knew it was an illegal practice. There were no democratic rights being exercised in the polling.
Similar things happened at its USK Box 2 but there was no further information of how the polling was conducted. In other two Waimin Tsak council wards, polling were done smoothly.
The suspended polling for the other wards in the constituency and rest of the district will be done today if the situation is calm. But the tension is still high in Tsak after a man from Poyo tribe was killed in the election related incident yesterday.
In these days, the minds of thousands of people are full of scraps and that’s why they don’t understand the real meaning of politics. For sure, this will be an issue for the lifetime.
Why do we have to bring personal and tribal differences into politics especially in election time like this? Come on!! people of Tsak, Wapenamanda and Enga, its about time to rise up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. No more time to for tribal fights and conflicts creating barrier for the development of this unique province.
Let’s move with the wave of change. We don't have to created blockage for developments in our districts, province and the country. We direly need to change in everything we do for a better Enga.
The Tsak constituency in Wapenamanda district of Enga Province is the home of some of the highly educated elites in Papua New Guinea including the head of the PNG's legal system, Chief Justice Sir Salomo Injia. He hails from the Waimin tribe of the Tsak constituency in the district.
The constituency has its own Local Level Government Council president and has more than 30 council wards. The district administration is comprises of two council presidents from the two constituencies, the district administrator and the open MP as the chairman. This is under the amended law of Provincial and Local Level Government Act.
Under the amended law, the 22 provincial governments receive separate funding from the national government while districts receive K10million direct funding from the government annually. The LLGs will now receive K500 000 direct funding from the national government. This is after governments decision to divert its forecast on the service delivery in all rural districts.
For year's, since PNG's political independence, the people of Tsak had no problems relating to anyelections. They were the peace-loving people in the province. However, this year LLG election has turned into nightmares for the whole constituency.
At least one life lost and many injured and food garden and properties worth hundreds of kina have been destroyed. The incident started in the middle of the constituency after some rival candidates tried to hijack the ballot boxes from different council wards. Fight broke out at 11AM with several gunfire.
Polling for many council wards was suspended while only few have completed. Most of the people in those council wards where polling completed were never been given their constitutional rights for voting. The supporters of certain candidates for president seat and ward council have taken all the ballot papers and voted at their wish.
In Waimin Kungu LLG Council Ward (Box 1)-Kwia has turned into nightmare after certain people high-jacked the ballot box containing 786 votes. After filling out all the ballot papers in the box they wanted the returning officer to sign the papers but the RO refused to sign as he knew it was an illegal practice. There were no democratic rights being exercised in the polling.
Similar things happened at its USK Box 2 but there was no further information of how the polling was conducted. In other two Waimin Tsak council wards, polling were done smoothly.
The suspended polling for the other wards in the constituency and rest of the district will be done today if the situation is calm. But the tension is still high in Tsak after a man from Poyo tribe was killed in the election related incident yesterday.
In these days, the minds of thousands of people are full of scraps and that’s why they don’t understand the real meaning of politics. For sure, this will be an issue for the lifetime.
Why do we have to bring personal and tribal differences into politics especially in election time like this? Come on!! people of Tsak, Wapenamanda and Enga, its about time to rise up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. No more time to for tribal fights and conflicts creating barrier for the development of this unique province.
Let’s move with the wave of change. We don't have to created blockage for developments in our districts, province and the country. We direly need to change in everything we do for a better Enga.
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