JOHN ROSSO - LAE NEEDS CHANGE, NOT POLITICAL SCIENTISTS

Dear voters,

Lae has been the home for people from right across the four regions of Papua New Guinea. We have third and fourth generations of various ethnic groups of people residing in Lae city.

Their fathers and forefathers came to Morobe soon after the war and contributed massively to the growth and expansion of what we now called the industrial hub of the country.

Thankyou to the indigenous landowners of the land Lae City is situated on for your undivided support in making land available for business and settlement.

Over the past four decades the living standards of the AHI people has not improved. The roads have deteriorated and basic government services like education and health facilities are still lacking.

I have also heard that water supply to Butibam village will soon be disconnected by Water PNG. There are no permanent houses, stores and other buildings which can easily get connected to electricity and telecommunication services. The state of infrastructures in the six AHI villages are in a depilated state.

Given the millions of kina that are generated every year in Lae city from the Lae wharf and tax from companies, little has been done to improve the lives of the people in Lae.

There are no proper planning of suburbs and residential areas, thus forcing squatter settlements to sprout at the fringes of Lae city. Street roads, public utilities like bus stops, recreational parks and reserved land have not been considered further improvements resulting in land grabbing and illegal settlements.

These unplanned settlements are bound to happen when there are no visions and plans in place for people settling in a developing city like Lae.

High unemployment is a result of the government not creating jobs and opportunities for people coming out of the formal education system. High cost of living has forced our brothers, sons, sisters and mothers to use illegal means to sustain their livelihoods.

Lae city not necessarily needs a politician, but a leader and manager with visions to transform the lives of the ordinary people. No political scientist can solve Lae's everyday problem, it needs someone who knows and understand the needs of people from all cross-section of communities.

I have contributed my part in supporting various community services in creating employment, law and order support to our Lae police, supporting sporting initiatives in a big to keep young people away from illegal doings and also standing for communities against land grabbing in the city.

All my support over the last two decades to the people of Lae city was not intentionally to contest elections. I never wanted to involve in politics and my companies’ don’t get corrupt deals from the government. I am contesting once and for all following the cries and pleas of our widow mothers in Lae who also paid my nomination fees.

I am appealing to all the voters to use your conscience and do not sell your votes for money, food and alcohol. Think about your future and your children and vote for the betterment of our beloved Lae city.

John Rosso