Training for Village Record Book Kicks Off in New Ireland

 

New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan launched the new Village Book database

system for the 142 LLG wards in New Ireland on Wednesday, becoming the

first Governor in the country to roll out the project that will be introduced

nationwide in the coming weeks.

Sir J immediately urged all the Ward Recorders in the Province to make it their

business to ensure all relevant data is recorded and updated. “You must fight for

New Ireland and do a complete audit of the people and provide an accurate data

bank the like the whole of New Ireland depends on you alone.”

He cut the ribbon as he launched the Village Record Book database system and

training workshop for Ward Recorders and LLG officials and Councilors on

Tuesday 30 th June kicking off the national drive to establish the data system

established under an MOU signed with the Department of Provincial and Local

Level Government Affairs on the 7 th of February this year.

Among witnesses to the occasion were representatives of the Department of

Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs, the Deputy Governor and

President of Tikana LLG, Hon. Sammy Missen and colleague Presidents from

the Murat and Kavieng Urban Councils, the acting Provincial Administrator and

Director for District and LLG Affairs, Mr. Ricky Fugonto, who spearheaded

and coordinated preparation and New Ireland Government involvement and

funding of the project.

Mr. Fugonto said the Village Record Book is a key Government initiative to

ensure New Ireland Government has a locally developed and managed database

collection system that will generate accurate, reliable and up to date data for

evidence-based development planning, policy formulation, budgeting, resource

allocation and service distribution.

“It is paramount that all Government agencies at all levels of government work

together in ensuring this important government intervention is strengthened and

sustained over a long period of time by sharing resources, expertise and skills,”

said Fugonto.

Governor Sir J’s keynote address stemmed from the heart of ‘Autonomy.’ He

said the Village Record Books would not only help New Ireland but also the

Electoral Commission, which had an appalling track record in updating the

names of all electors during the National and LLG Elections.

 

Sir J said, “Ward members the future of New Ireland will depend on you. The

vision for tomorrow is that we’ve got to decentralize power to the provinces.

We have to make every province autonomous because power is responsibility.

A united Papua New Guinea can only be strong if we recognize individual

rights of our people .The National Government can just concentrate on policy

matters and coordination,” said Sir J.

Sir J thanked the officials from the DPLGA for availing their time for the

training but advised them to tell Waigani that New Ireland is capable of looking

after itself. “ I hope you can bring the message back to Port Moresby and say

why are we not playing around, just let these people govern themselves, and we

just stay back, make good policies for good governance and just coordinate their

projects in the districts.”

In a delightful closing gesture drawing popular applause Sir Julius announced

that the New Ireland Government would Top-Up the Ward Recorders

allowances by another K100 per month bring their monthly total to K200.