First female North Bougainville MP Francesca Semoso asks for women to be given preference to speak on the floor

Recently elected member for North Bougainville Francesca Semoso has used her first appearance in Parliament to ask for female MPs to be given preference to speak before their male colleagues.

Ms Semoso is the first female representative from North Bougainville to serve in the national Parliament. She joins Central Province Governor Rufina Peter, and Rai Coast member Kessy Sawang, bringing the number of elected female members in Parliament to three.

When given the opportunity to speak, she said: "There are only three women members of the National Parliament, so when we speak, give us preference to speak.”

She owes her win to the voters of North Bougainville and had this to say.

"Me tok tenkiu pastaim lo ol pipol lo North Bougainville lo disla luksave lo putim wanpla mama kam inside lo North Bougainville na disla honourable house," she said.

"I'm actually honoured to be representing the people of North Bougainville as the elected member.

"After 48 years, wanpla mama emi kam inside lo Bougainville na tok tenkiu lo Pangu pati sapot."

Ms Semoso's first question without notice was on land matters, an issue close to the heart of North Bougainville.