Voters in the Kairuku Hiri electorate will be casting their votes this weekend.
Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, was in the electorate yesterday and urged the people to vote his PNC party candidate, Paru Aihi, inorder to bring much development into the electorate.
Hundreds turned up at the rally in Bereina yesterday. Some came as far as East and West Hiri.
Mr. O’Neill said the Kairuku Hiri people had missed out on vital services for over 40 years due to poor leadership and this by-election was important for them to make this issue a thing of the past.
The Prime Minister also talked about the buai ban.
Ministers for Works, Francis Awesa, National Planning, Charles Abel, Health, Michael Malabag and Housing, Paul Ezekiel, were with the Prime Minister at Mr. Aihi’s final rally.
Mr. O’Neill urged the people to vote his party’s candidate, promising more for the electorate in the next 4 years.
The local chiefs presented gifts to the dignitaries to show their support for Mr. Aihi.
However, the people’s immediate desire was for Mr. O’Neill’s government to find a solution for the buai ban crisis.
The fruit has been the people’s major cash crop for years.
They said the sudden ban had caused a major blockage to their access of vital services and goods.
The leaders asked that government subsidize not only school fees but uniforms and allowances for the students.
Mr. O’Neill replied urging the people to look outside of the box and utilize the free education and health initiatives to empower themselves rather than depending on buai alone.
He urged to get into growing the small to medium enterprise sector.
Mr. Aihi also encouraged his people to accept challenges and work with their local leaders and the national government to address such issues diligently.
He said this needed change and development and said he is confident to deliver that to them.
