Councilors awaiting pay since January

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, June 5, 2016 (PNG)

MILNE Bay Governor Titus Philemon has called on the National Government to address the plight of Ward Councilors who he said are yet to be paid their allowances since January this year.

The governor asked the minister for finance to tell parliament when the issue would be sorted out for the frontline leaders on the ground in the countries rural areas.

“Can you the minister inform parliament as to why our ward councilors across the country have not received their allowances since January this year?”

“This is very important, they are our partners in terms of leadership at the community level and we have to recognize them.”

“In the case of Milne bay province we have a total of 395 councilors still awaiting their allowances,” he said.

He said from the responsibility being that of the provincial and local level government was taken over by the national government.

“They (councilors) were advised to open their bank accounts so they did and they are waiting and waiting and no money has gone into that account.”

“Some have to travel far distances, expensive exercise for them and the same goes to village court officials, the village court magistrates, the peace offciers, and the list goes on.”

“I know this is for the Department of Attorney General to address but can theGovernment also look into the plight of the village court officials and something must be done immediately.”

Finance minister James Marape agreed with Governor Philemon saying that money was set aside, but were still awaiting some provinces who are yet to provide full listing of their councilors.

“We have money set aside one or two provinces haven’t fully submitted the recent list of councilor yet.”

“I will get the deputy prime minister as minister responsible to make a full statement to this house in regards to the status of councilors pay and we will try to extradite this lot of payment as early as possible.”

“We acknowledge as a government this policy for councilors to be brought on payroll is a creation of this government and we intend to honour fully,” Minister Marape said.