Simon orders audit into Maprik accounts for a fresh start

Story and Picture by Cyril Gare

NEW member elect for Maprik, John Simon has put a stop to the district account until all books were checked and cleared by Government auditors.

He told a large crowd outside the Maprik district office yesterday (Thursday, 19^th July, 2012) that this was procedural as it would enable him to make a fresh start with the finances of the Maprik people.

Mr. Simon also issued the following instructions to the district administrator to immediately execute the following actions:

·         1. Impound all government vehicles;

·     2. Improve personnel hygiene and cleanliness of public servants (dressing standard, clean teeth, no betelnut, no alcohol, punctuality, etc);

·         3. Re-possession of institutional houses;

·         4. Eviction of former public servants from government houses; and other such actions.

In the immediate 100 days, Mr. Simon plans to:

·         1.Maintain all feeder roads in the district (within six months);

·        2.  Restore the banking services;

·         3. Boost and maintain the Maprik district hospital;

·         4. build a trade centre for informal vendors;

·        5.  strengthen council and ward institution of governance (more meetings with councillors); and

·         6. Other such plans.

After official swearing in, Mr. Simon will return to his Malba village where he will host the first Joint District Budget & Planning Priority Committee (JDBPPC) meeting in the wake of discouraging any more of such meetings being held in Port Moresby and elsewhere outside Maprik.  

Within his term of Parliament, the new MP wants to see more Maprik students attending the Universities and tertiary institutions in the country and places emphasis on partnership with the University of Natural resources (UNRE) Bainyik campus.

“I wish to thank the former Member, Gabriel Kapris and I agree that he has delivered some services but these have been very selective and despite millions of kina been spent, tangible development and services have not reached the door step of the rural majority and grass roots people of Maprik. Today, this will change,” he said amidst a round of applause.

In the national front, Mr. Simon (National Alliance party) reiterated his support and loyalty to the Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare, adding he really wanted a cabinet portfolio (ministry) with priority in Planning and Rural Development, Works, Commerce and Trade, Finance, and/or Treasury.

John Simon polled 13,637 votes to unseat Gabriel Kapris at 10,730, which was 2,907 votes difference.

Caption: New Maprik MP, John Simon addressing his people at the Maprik district office on Thursday.