THE inquiry to declare Papua New Guinea as a Christian country is gaining interest and momentum from wider spectrum of the society as consultations in the Highlands and Momase regions continue into the second week.
“It was encouraging to see people willing come forward and openly give their views without reservations, after all, the Constitution belongs to the people who are entitled to their own views and who must be consulted first before any proposal or amendment is made to the Constitution,” said Chairman of Constitutional Law Reform Commission, Kevin Isifu who is heading the consultations in the upper Highlands region.
The Constitutional and Law Reform Commission (CLRC) teams have met with representatives of the churches, NGOs and social organizations as well as mothers, youths, students, provincial administrations, LLG and Provincial assembly members and the general public in Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands, Morobe, and Sandaun provinces from the 3rd to the 5th May last week.
Mr Isifu said the views collected so far were very interesting and intelligent with most of the people consulted generally favoring the Inquiry while a fair number of the participants expressing opposition.
“These are only preliminary views that are representative of the individual provinces consulted but the final majority national view on the inquiry can be established at the end of the nationwide consultation in early June,” he said.
Consultations are continuing in Enga, East Sepik, Madang, Simbu, Jiwaka, and Southern Highlands from the 6th to the 13th of May.
Consultations for the rest of the provinces including Hela, Oro, Milne Bay, Western, Gulf, Central, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, East New Britain, West New Britain, New Ireland, and Manus will take place between May 16 and June 4, 2021.
Mr Isifu encouraged people to not only participate in the provincial consultations but also to simultaneously visit the CLRC website to contribute their views which are vital to the Inquiry.
-Press Release-