GOVERNOR MARUM CHALLENGED NEWLY SWORN IN PRESIDENTS TO SERVE & LEAD WITH INTERGRITY
BY WASITA ROYAL
IN an important step for provincial governance, the 23 newly elected Local Level Government Presidents of East New Britain were officially sworn in as members of the Provincial Assembly last Friday.
The ceremony was marked by strong calls for a new era of accountable, cooperative, and principled leadership.
Presiding over the first assembly, the Chairman and Provincial Member, Hon. Michael Marum, set a clear mandate for the new leaders. He challenged them to reject self-interest and political convenience, stating their mandate is to “serve, to lead, and to represent your communities with integrity and commitment.”
“Times are changing, and our people expect stronger leadership, greater accountability, and genuine representation,” Marum said. “We must stand together to confront illegal activities, corruption, and political interference that distract us from development.”
Echoing the call for unity, Marum directly urged the LLG Presidents to “work closely with your open members of parliament to ensure services reach our people,” pointing out cooperation as a cornerstone for effective service delivery.
This theme of collaborative governance was strongly supported by Gazelle MP and Minister for Fisheries, Jelta Wong. In his congratulatory remarks, Wong urged the new presidents to “separate politics from their duties” and focus on their core responsibility of solving people’s problems.
“Leadership is not easy. At times people will applaud you, at other times they will criticise you, but you must remain firm in carrying out your responsibilities,” Wong stated, while encouraging them to partner with their Open MPs to improve services across their LLGs, districts, and the province.
Adding a moral dimension to the leadership challenge, Rabaul MP Dr. Allan Marat linked the province’s growing law-and-order issues directly to the conduct of its leaders. He called on them to strengthen their relationship with God as the foundation for honest and effective governance.
“As leaders, we must lead by example. The only way these issues can be reduced is through honest leadership,” Dr. Marat said. He stressed that leaders must “set the right example for their people to follow,” arguing that many societal challenges can be addressed when leaders commit to principled conduct.
The newly sworn-in assembly members now face the immediate task of preparing for the Assembly’s next meeting in January 2026, where the provincial budget will be passed and key executive positions, including the Deputy Governor, will be elected.
