The Morobe Provincial Executive Council remains unmoved in its decision to go against the idea of a proposed Lae City Commission.
Provincial Executive Council members argue that the concept is illegal and unconstitutional.
This follows Prime Minister Peter O&rsquO’Neill’s visit to Lae last week pushing for the Lae City commission authority.
Frustrated Provincial Executive Council members want more dialogue to happen before a Lae City Commission is established.
Lae MP Loujaya Kouza, who was recently appointed as chairperson for the proposed commission, had pushed for it.
Sam Agi represents the Ahi people who are traditional landowners of Lae City. He says most don’t agree to the commission idea. “JDPBC was supposed to sit down in Lae and decide,” he said.
There is also uncertainty over the role of the Lord Mayors. Koim Truily Leahy, the city’s mayor, along with other PEC members, are asking what is going to happen when the commission is established.
“Tutumang never agreed to a Lae City Commission,” says the Lae city mayor. Both Koim and Agi’s role in Morobe’s politics may become redundant.
But Prime Minister Peter O&rsquO’Neill, during his visit, ensured the PEC that the authority is going to be administrative without political voting.
The concept won’t be similar to that of NCDC; Lae city will not become another province. Some members of Parliament have come out, questioning the concept.
Bulolo MP Sam Basil has called for a joint consultation with the PEC. He says infrastructure development around the province must be completed and the backlog of problems faced by the Lae City Council solved before the commission is put in place.
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