KEITH JACKSON
The information in this series is derived from public sources and, in some cases, may not be accurate. We invite readers to offer corrections and additional material by contacting the editor here.
CENTRAL
Kila Haoda (Central, Independent), the new governor of Central Province, is a Gaire businessman and owner of the popular March Girls Resort. Haoda is said to understand tourism and its potential and there is a view he will be able to put more emphasis on an industry which, outside mineral resources, remains as one of PNG’s most promising sources of revenue.
Dr Sir Puka Temu (Abau, leader Our Development Party). Puka Temu, a medical practitioner by profession, spearheaded an attempt to overthrow Michael Somare in 2010 and, when the attempt failed, became leader of the opposition. O'Neill, on gaining power, appointed him Minister for Agriculture & Livestock. He is a highly respected politician although there is some distrust of him in the province for not more actively pursuing land rights issues.
Daniel Mona (Goilala, PNG Party) is a former journalist and was the provincial Disaster and Emergency coordinator, Daniel Mona. He’s a son of the first Goilala MP, Louis Mona, who in the 1970s and 1980s was seen to improve services and oversee the construction of the Port Moresby–Tapini Highway and Tapini High School. There is great anticipation in the electorate that Daniel will follow in his father’s footsteps.
Paru Aihi (Kairuku-Hiri, People’s National Congress) was Minister for Higher Education, Research Science and Technology in the Somare government. Following Somare’s ousting, Aihi defected from the National Alliance to join the O’Neill group in March this year saying he was “concerned about delivering goods and services to the people of his electorate therefore had decided to align himself with the government of the day” and stating that he had “defected not for my personal gain but for the people of Kairuku-Hiri”.
Ano Pala (Rigo, People’s National Congress), Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, is an astute politician who defected to the opposition for a second time in August last year, helping to overthrow Michael Somare. He became Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration. He had previously served as parliamentary clerk. In 2010 he took the extraordinary step of telling the media to stop discussing PNG’s controversial environment laws or be in contempt of court. Recently he was allegedly associated with the awarding of PNG citizenship to controversial Indonesian fugitive Joko Tjandra.
Comments