BY MIRIAM MALAWA
PRIME Minister James Marape has recently announced the formation of a Bipartisan Committee, which aims to evaluate the existing Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local Level Governments.
The committee will propose either a new legislation or amendments to the currently proposed Organic Law on Decentralization to facilitate its implementation effectively.
The committee will be headed by the Honorable Governor for Morobe Province, Luther Wenge, with the Honorable Governor for East New Britain Province, Michael Marum, serving as the deputy leader. Additionally, the committee will include the following governors:
Sir Peter Ipatas – Governor for Enga
Hon Garry Juffa – Governor for Oro
Hon Rufina Peter – Governor for Central
Hon Simon Sia – Governor for Eastern Highlands Province (EHP)
Hon Allan Bird – Governor for East Sepik Province (ESP)
Hon Sasindran Muthuvel – Governor for West New Britain Province (WNBP)
Prime Minister Marape emphasized that the committee will report to both himself and the Minister.
He expressed his commitment to collaborate with the committee members to implement necessary reforms and create a lasting legacy for future generations.
He said recognizing the importance of Taxation and Remittance Policy, the government intends to review and assess the Taxation Act and Remittance policies to streamline transactions, with the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) presenting their findings in due course.
Regarding District Development Authorities (DDAs), the Prime Minister acknowledged concerns about service delivery and governance issues.
He said consequently, the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs has been directed to evaluate the performance of DDAs and provide a comprehensive report to the government.
The PM said the findings will be presented at the 2024 Governor’s Conference, facilitating discussions on the effectiveness of these entities.
Prime Minister Marape expressed his commitment to addressing these critical matters and ensuring effective governance, service delivery, and legislative reforms that will benefit the country’s development even beyond his tenure.
