Jocelyn following her late dad’s footsteps

“ I hope my journey inspires young people to take up leadership roles as I had started my political career at the age of 27.We need young vibrant leaders to contribute to nation building.”

By MAJELEEN YANEI
WHEN her father, the late North Bougainville MP William Nakin, passed away in July last year, 34-year-old Jocelyn Nakin decided to contest the seat he won in the 2017 and 2022 general elections.
“I hope my journey inspires young people to take up leadership roles as I had started my political career at the age of 27.We need young vibrant leaders to contribute to nation building.”
Now a mother of two, Jocelyn is the fourth eldest in a family of six hailing from Gogohe village in the Hagogohe constituency, North Bougainville.
She is one of the four women and 13 men contesting the North Bougainville by-election to fill the seat held by her late father since 2017.
Jocelyn holds a Bachelor in Forestry degree and a Masters in Sustainable Environment and Planning.
She has been working as a senior district planner and policy writer with the North Bougainville district development authority for the past five years.
Her focus during her election campaign is the lifting of the standard of education which she believes is important to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
“Bougainville is on a separate journey to determine its political future and needs an educated population.
“Basic service delivery and an effective government system will also be prioritised as we are on the road to gain independence.
“Road and market accessibility in Kunua and Atolls Rural will be considered. People have cocoa plantations and need good roads.
“I will ensure that the least developed areas get an opportunity to participate in nation building while unleashing their economic potential to access other basic services.”
Jocelyn points out that Bougainville is coming out of a crisis, so its leaders have a priority to rebuild, rehabilitate and reconstruct basic services which have been destroyed.
On her decision to contest the seat, she is aware of those already criticising her for contesting the seat left vacant by her father while she is employed by the district development authority.
But she is standing by her decision and is confident of success, telling her critics that the results will speak for themselves.
“We have achieved a lot of improvement in the governance system. The district is at the top-five level in terms of service delivery. That why the late MP was re-elected in the 2022 general election.”
If elected, she will ensure in her first 100 days that the district development authority meeting is conducted in public, especially the swearing in of the new board members.
“I will also ask the district management to produce financial reports. We will also install an online procurement system so people don’t go through the manual process.
“This is to ensure transparency in project tendering in the district.
“In terms of women candidacy and good governance, we are on the right track. I have been working in the district administration and already delivered much under my late father’s leadership.”