By GEORGINA MICHAEL
BANK South Pacific (BSP) Financial Group Limited has committed K50,000 to Tubusereia Junior High School for a new multipurpose hall under its BSP 50 for 50 ‘Givim Back’ initiative.
The commitment was announced at a ground-breaking ceremony attended by BSP Chief Executive Officer Mr Mark T. Robinson, BSP Group Chairman Mr Robert Bradshaw, Hiri Koiari MP Mr Keith Iduhu, school Board Chairman Mr Koronou, the school principal, Central Education Advisor, students, staff, and distinguished guests.
BSP CEO Mr Robinson said the project is one of 50 community projects launched in September last year to mark PNG’s 50th anniversary. The overall initiative is worth up to K2.5 million, with 17 projects already under construction. Tubusereia Junior High is the first recipient in Central Province.
“I am very proud to say that Tubusereia Junior High School is one of the very first recipients of this initiative,” Mr Robinson said. “Through this initiative we’re investing over K2.5 million back into communities. Many of these communities are in rural locations, far from cities, but places from which we do business and we care about, and our employees care about.”
The three-year-old school will use the hall to support learning and school activities as it continues to grow.
Hiri Koiari MP Mr Iduhu welcomed the partnership and announced K50,000 from the district on a kina-for-kina basis.
“I suppose it’s all about partnerships, and education is a very important journey in the growth of this country,” Mr Iduhu said. “Education has to reflect the input leadership provides in this specific and important human capital building program, in terms of infrastructure and education.”
He said the school’s needs remain significant and called on corporate partners and stakeholders to continue supporting it. “We stand ready at the district to support this project. We will donate K50,000 to support the project going forward at a kina-for-kina level, working together as a community. This support is very timely and very well appreciated.”
BSP Group Chairman Mr Bradshaw said the project reflects the bank’s commitment to its people.
“For BSP, this project is more than goodwill, it is a commitment that reflects who we are: our people,” Mr Bradshaw said. “This is the bank giving back to the
communities. I thank the Member for Hiri Koiari, Mr Keith Iduhu, for the K50,000 contribution on top of BSP’s K50,000 commitment to complete this project. And if the project is not completed with these amounts, then BSP will still look at additional funding to make sure we complete this building.”
The Tubusereia Junior High School Board and principal thanked BSP Financial Group Limited, its staff, the District MP, and other stakeholders for making the project possible.
Construction of the multipurpose hall is expected to start soon following today’s ground-breaking and be completed within three months.