Dame Carol Kidu has called 2015 Autonomous Bougainville Government election an historic occasion and she has congratulated all winning candidates in the Bougainville House of Representatives.
“Josephine Getsi’s election to the Peit open seat was a historic and courageous achievement not just for Bougainville but for Papua New Guinea,” Dame Carol said.
Dame Carol is a former senior PNG politician and a current member of the Bougainville Copper Limited board.
“The Bougainville House of Representatives has led the way in the Pacific region by enacting affirmative measures to ensure public representation of vulnerable groups,” she said.
Dame Carol admitted she was previously sceptical of affirmative action but was happy to see that it has been effective in Bougainville.
“There has always been a certain degree of apprehension on my part that affirmative action could have a backlash to discourage voters from considering women or other vulnerable groups as candidates for open electorates,” she said.
“The election of Josephine Getsi in an open constituency has shown that my apprehension was not based in reality.”
Ms Getsi has since been appointed as Minister for Community Development in the Autonomous Bougainville Government.
“It is very important to remember that all elected members have equal voting and decision-making rights in Parliament. They fought an election and won their right to represent the people – all people – women and men, ex-combatants and non-ex-combatants.
“When they enter the House of Representatives, they enter as Bougainvillean people who will bring different perspectives to Parliament so it makes their House truly a representative democracy.”
Dame Carol hopes that in the future other vulnerable groups, particularly people with disabilities, will be represented.
“It is estimated globally that 10% of people live with some form of disability and, in the developing world, this percentage is higher because of limited medical intervention,” she said.
“Perhaps the Bougainville House of Representatives could lead the way again in PNG and the Pacific by affirmative action to promote the rights and the voice of people with disabilities.”