Shefa Provincial Government has clarified that the By-law recently gazetted and widely discussed on social media was not created by the current council, but was a policy inherited from the former administration dating back to 2022.
Secretary General Lionel Kaluat said the former council had already completed the drafting and tabling process two years ago, but delays within national government processes meant the By-law was only gazetted this year, during the term of the newly elected council.
Mr. Kaluat explained that such delays are common, as state offices often handle multiple legislative priorities such as parliamentary bills and other administrative duties.
“This work was not done by this council. It was developed by the former council and former administration in 2022, and only gazetted this year. We all understand how government processes can be delayed, but it is important the public knows the correct information,” he said.
The clarification comes after strong criticism surfaced online, with many social media users blaming the new council for the regulations outlined in the By-law. SG Kaluat said some of these comments were defamatory and urged the public to be responsible when posting information.
“Some statements on Facebook are quite defamatory, and the council is not happy about it. Before you comment, make sure you understand what you are talking about,” he said.
Despite the misunderstanding, Mr. Kaluat said the current administration accepts accountability as the office in charge and is working to correct the situation.
