The way forward for the Motu-Koitabuans

By REGINALD RENAGI

After being seriously marginalised since PNG got its independence in 1975, a practical way forward must now be found for the Motu-Koita (MK) including the people of Koiari from the Sogeri Plateau in the Central province.
 There is now a very pressing development need for the MK to have a good road map for the way forward into the future.
After this mid-year national general election, it is most imperative for all MK community together with their community leaders to rise up with its own future agenda of what they see as the most critical issues affecting their community; upon which the city of Port Moresby is situated.
It is also most important for the Motu-Koitabu Assembly (LLG) and the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) administration to work together with the national government and synergistically improve the MK (and Koiari) people’s quality of life now, and in the future.
It is now more imperative than ever before for the national government to immediately put in place a good independent political structure to encompass all MK (and Koiari) communities within the Central province. 
 Its key goals among others must be to effectively promote the aspirations including the future wellbeing and welfare of the Motu-Koitabuan (including the Koiaris) society within Central province.
In view of what has happened in recent years, I now call on the relevant authorities to critically address the ongoing plight of the MK (and Koiari) communities in these key areas:

• Review the Motu-Koita Act and importantly, make the current Motu-Koita Assembly more effective, efficient, transparent and accountable than it is now;

•   The national government must in the next five-years create a strong political structure for either a new MK Open Electorate within NCD, or a separate new MK (to also include Koiari) Electorate within Central Province for obvious reasons;

•   Through joint efforts of the MKA, NCDC administration and the Central Provincial Government demand the national government to place an immediate ‘Moratorium’ on all NCD Land sales, while at the same time; a comprehensive ‘Social Mapping of the total MK and Koiari landowner clans genealogy surveys to be conducted in Port Moresby; and throughout Central Province;

•  A special Capital City ‘development package’ be negotiated with the national government to fairly compensate (through loss of their traditional land) the peoples of the MK and Koiari landowners, and be backdated to self-government in 1973 up till today;and

• The new PNG government after the national election must make it one of its number one priority considerations by critically addressing the long outstanding plight of the MK and the Koiari people, and only then; that they can start empowering themselves by transforming their lives as we progress further into this millennium.