BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
GIZO
THE Western province is reviving the issue of autonomy, with a ‘serious and urgent’ meeting called for its leaders tomorrow and Friday (March 22-23) in Munda.
Premier Wayne Maepioh, in a press conference yesterday, informs the nation that Western province is leading the drive for federal state government.
Mr Maepioh voices his government and people’s disappointment at the mistreatment of the provincial government by the national government, labelling the act as ‘belittling and degrading’ of the provincial governments.
He slams the national government for catering more funded projects and programmes for the national members of parliament (MPs) while suppressing the shadow government with ‘very little or nothing at all to run their respective services or projects’.
“Western Province sees these continuous slap and cuts as belittling and degrading to provincial governments.
“Our only option is to fast track federal state and community governance system reform, where it is master in constitutional Governance.”
Maepioh said the Western province government therefore is convening an urgent and serious leaders meeting in Munda to remind the nation over its position for autonomy, both legislative and finance in the reform.
He adds that the Western province is not alone in this journey, as all provinces are affected. Thus he calls on fellow provincial leaders to be rejuvenated towards the federal constitution reform.
He warns that “the only viable option or the Catalonian option is looming over the horizon”.
