By Gabriel Katuho
AN intending candidate for the North Bougainville by-election is seeking financial assistance and sponsorship from political parties.
Michael Geketa intends to contest for the North Bougainville seat, which was left vacant following the death of the incumbent member for North Bougainville, the late William Nakin.
He is appealing to political parties for financial support to run his campaign as he is expecting a positive outcome.
His purpose of contesting for the by-election.
Geketa said Bougainville is on the threshold of gaining independence and the people must be financially-independent to support themselves if they happen to separate completely from PNG.
He said Bougainvilleans must be financially-independent to face the challenges and he will see that happen if he wins.
With that being his major concern, Geketa is worried that his constituency is not ready for independence as it is one of the least-developed constituencies in the region.
As an educated individual in his community, he has seen the challenges for which he can be an agent of change.
His prime area for economic sustainability
Since there are 14 constituencies in North Bougainville, Geketa said if he won, he would invest funds into BSP or Mama Bank and provide a strategy where seven SMEs from the 14 constituencies will apply for business loans amounting up to K20,000 every year.
He said in order for the loan to be accessed, SME owners should providing an IPA registration certificate, constitution to govern the business, business plan and must have an account with BSP or Mama Bank in Buka.
He said 35 SMEs in the constituency will have receive loans in five years.
By 2027 there should be 490 SMEs in North Bougainville, Geketa said. This should translate into creating 490 potential millionaires, he mused.
Geketa said in 2017 he had nine agendas on his platform, while in 2022 he reduced it to five and now he is focused on one agenda, which is economic sustainability through SME.
He said he is focused on money-making first because all the other areas are included in the government’s ongoing budget (DSIP and PSIP).
Geketa said if elected, he will use the DSIP also to invest in SMEs with the aim of growing the economy.
He said if the people can be financially-independent, then they can be in a greater position to sustain their family, in terms of school fees, accessing medical services and meeting other daily wants.
Geketa said from the 490 possible SMEs, there can be an assumption that 200 will not function well.
If that happens the other 200 will still generate a greater amount.
He said currently there are less than 50 SMEs in the electorate to boost the economy.
Geketa said the government is embarking on an increase in DSIP from K10 million to K20 million annually and in five years, K100 million can be disbursed.
With that it will double funding and will generate more than enough to sustain the people in North Bougainville.
He will be contesting with the theme “Give Change a Chance” and the slogan “Arise plus work equals progress”.
Geketa is now calling on any politicalparty that is willing to help to fund him so that he run for the by-election with the objective of bringing changes and financially equipping Bougainvillean’s to prepare for the Independence.
Challenges encountered
while contesting for election
In 2016, he resigned to contest for the 2017 National General Election. Without any party funding, he contested for North Bougainville electorate with the dream to see change in his electorate.
“I contested under a political party (name withheld), however they did not fulfill their commitment to fund my campaign,” Geketa said.
He said he campaigned without any funding but was able to do well despite going up against other candidates had money and support from parties during the 2017 and 2022 National General Elections.
Geketa campaigned for four days out of eight weeks in five villages out of 19 in his ward.
The other 14 villages were not covered because of shortage of funds.
He was only stationed at his constituency (Peit).
Geketa came fourth placing out of the 33 candidates who contested in the North Bougainville electorate during the preliminary (first) counting.
In the final elimination process, he moved down to 6th placing.
“Just imagine if I completed my campaign in the other 13 constituencies and covered 19 villages in my ward,” he said.
“The result would have been different.”
In 2022 the same thing happened. He had no party in support of his campaign. As a result, Geketa did the same thing as he did in the previous election.
He campaigned for four days covering five out of 19 villages in his constituency. His campaign did not run through the 13 remaining constituencies, however he was the runner-up to the incumbent North Bougainville MP, the late William Nakin during the progressive counting (Count 6 to 19). During the elimination process, he claimed sixth placing out of the 23 candidates contesting the seat.
“I consider myself a veteran,” Geketa said.
“I am not new to politics.
“This is my third time contesting and my supporters are with me.
“The only challenge now is the funding.
“I need funding to the go to the other constituencies to run my campaign.
“I believe that the result will be positive.”
He said he has loyal supporters and there is no doubt the result will be positive.
He is now appealing to any political party for possible funding support to boost his campaign throughout North Bougainville as people there are expecting him.
Background information
Michael Geketa, aged 55 is from Gagan village in Buka, Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
He was a career commissioned police officer with 22 years of service and was a Senior Inspector of Police before his resignation.
Geketa was first deployed to Buka, where he served as a senior officer in four years, from 2004 to 2007.
He then transferred to Port Moresby (NCD) where he spent most of his policing career.
From 2007 to 2016, Geketa served in several police stations in NCD as the Station Commander for Gerehu, Gordon, Boroko, Waigani and Hohola.
As a station commander, he was a pioneer of the Beat Unit that was formed by the Police Department to help NCD with its Amazing Port Moresby Policy.
Geketa was an officer during the time of former NCD Metropolitan Commander Fred Yakasa.
After that, he went on to further his education at the University of Papua New Guinea and graduated with a double degree in business management majoring public policy and minoring economics.
From 2013 to 2014, he entered UPNG again under the professional strand and graduated with a bachelors of arts, majoring in social works and minoring psychology.
