----------------------Twenty Two Women----------------------

BY LOUJAYA TONI

Twenty two women
Sitting ducks
Shot at
Mercilessly
By trigger happy mouths;

A
Nameless, faceless number
Posing
Threatening shadows
Women in waiting
Wanna-be politicians
Hopeful governors;

Unknown but significant
Twenty two women
All wanting
In on parliament;

They are daunting shadows
Reaching in
To the men’s haus
Haunting his wildest political dreams
Forcing a hand in his schemes
Being
A very present number
At all
His deliberations
Seen and heard more
Than a mere apparition;
Twenty two women
Waiting their dues.

Loujaya Toni(46) was born at in Lae.  She was declared Papua New Guinea’s youngest poet by the University of Papua New Guinea’s Ondo Bondo while still at school in Port Moresby in 1978 and her collection of poems, ‘A Sense of Interest’, was published by the Education Department.  In 1985 she launched a string of solo gospel music albums under the name Loujaya Dunar and has since been recognised as a singer/songwriter.  She wrote and performed the song, ‘Keep the Fire Aliv’e with Tambaran Culture as a tribute to the 9th South Pacific Games held in Port Moresby in 1991. 

Loujaya is a qualified journalist and teacher who is also a practicing naturopath.  She is a part-time tutor at the University of Technology in Lae and a full-time student in the Department of Communication Development Studies.  She graduates in April, 2012.  She is also an aspiring politician.  She contested the National Elections in 2007 and the Local Level Government Elections in 2008, giving her male opposition candidates a close run for their money.  She will be contesting the 2012 National Elections as a candidate in the Lae Open Electorate.

Comments

[Tatonox Selkambang]

I support the idea fully only if a fair, democratic game is played in elections where women and men both contest.

Only afew PNG women have done his in the past and are willing to do.

If 22 seats are created, than would we expect future seat demands from religious groups, youths, vendors etc etc.

Let fair democacy exist by both sexes getting elected through the polls as demonstrated globally.

[Mrs Barbara Short]

God bless you, Loujaya, the sooner PNG gets some women in parliament the better.

PNG men need to realise this and help vote in a few women to bring the necessary balance!