EASTERN Highlands Governor Julie Soso has clarified that all the overseas trips she took last year were funded externally and not by the province.
She was in Australia from April 29 to May 3 at the invitation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
She attended the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development meeting where she made presentations on women issues. She said the Australian government met the cost of the trip, including accommodation and meals.
Her trip to South Korea last May was sponsored by the United Nations for the Millennium Development Forum.
It was the Asia Pacific Regional Women’s Parliament and Ministers’ conference on gender equity.
Soso was invited by the United Nations Millennium Development Forum to New York where she presented a paper at a forum on challenges and achievement on the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls, as well.
The New Zealand government had invited her to Wellington to attend a Pacific Parliamentary and Political Leaders Forum from April 18 to 22.
Last October, the Treasury Department, World Bank and International Monetary Fund funded a trip to Washington to witness the inauguration of Treasurer Don Polye as chairman of the World Bank and IMF.
She was invited by the Australian National University in Canberra to speak of her experience of the national election candidates, being elected to Parliament, and breaking the barrier of discrimination against women and girls.
Soso is a member of the HIV/AIDS National Parliamentary Committee, member of National Group Population and Sustainable Development and Education National Parliamentary Committee.
“Members of these committees will be invited for a lot of overseas duty travels,” she said.
“People must not have misconstrued views on such trips for taking part at international forums and events.”