THE re-elected Member of Parliament for Gao Bugotu constituency, Samuel Manetoali has started to implement some of his plans for the constituency.
On Saturday 24th January 2015, he invited some of the women from Gao Bugotu constituency in Isabel, who were based in Honiara, to his residence and held a meeting with them.
Mr Manetoali told the women present that the purpose of the meeting is to inform them about his plans to form an Association for Gao Bugotu Women.
He said that he had already completed a Constitution for the intended Women Association and after their meeting, once a consensus is reached, formalities would be done to register the association.
He told the women that he is prepared to assist them to form their association.
Mr Manetoali also made it clear that the initiative to form Gao Bugotu Women Association is not political and membership of the association is open to all women of his constituency regardless of whether they are his supporters or not.
The women resolved in the meeting that financial membership fee to join the association would be $50 each.
Mr Manetoali further stressed to the women that it is about time that they come together as a group to share their ideas and skills to involve in various women activities and other income generating projects to help themselves, their families and those in need.
He said there are a lot of areas that the women can involve in; such as sewing, cooking and other hand crafts.
He told them that once the association is up and running, one of their tasks is to sew uniforms to be distributed to kindergarten schools in the Gao Bugotu constituency.
Mr Manetoali had initially appointed office bearers among the women to look after the association and informed them that their term in office will last for two years.
The office bearers would be replaced after two years in an election when the association would then hold its general meeting.
Although the women invited did not expect to attend such an important meeting that day, they were excited and fully agreed about the idea.
After the meeting, the appointed office bearers endorsed the initiative taken by their Member of Parliament in recognising the importance of women in their constituency to work together as a group; and offer what they can do to assist themselves and others.
By CHARLES FOX LEMOA
