7 Jul 2003

Population growth prompts call for Boundaries Commission to be re-established in PNG

4:09 pm on 7 July 2003

The governor of Papua New Guinea's Morobe province has called on the government to re-establish a commission to create new electorates and provinces.

Luther Wenge says a National Boundaries Commission should be resurrected because of the increase in population.

The National reports Mr Wenge saying under current laws, an area should have 30-thousand people to qualify as an electorate but many have exceeded that figure with some going past the 100-thousand mark.

Mr Wenge says his province of Morobe and the Southern Highlands have grown to a stage where each needs to be divided to form two additional provinces.

The Inter Government affairs Minister, Sir Peter Barter says the Boundaries Commission has not been funded and as such does not exist.

He says the issue will be discused at the Govenors' Conference at the end of August.