By JOE GURINA
THE local land owners of Koiari in Central province have been urged to capture the ‘Sky Rail’ project from NCDC Governor Powes Parkop to boost economic participation for the locals.
The project is a first of its kind in the country that Governor Parkop intends to install in the province to drive tourism interest in the area.
The project is estimated at K500 million to be installed at the Adventurer Park outside Port Moresby.
Parkop’s initiative is a boost that will easily capture economic investment to the locals, according to former chief executive officer of Kokoda Track Authority (KTA), James Enage.
Enagae said that the project is an economic motivation that the people of Koiari with its stakeholders need to consider.
“I call on the Koiari LLG, central province government and all relevant stakeholders to support the initiative under taken by the NCD Governor,’’ Enage said.
He said the project will improve the livelihood of the Koiari population with the development.
Enage said that the Sogeri catchment areas had missed on major sustainable socio economic development project and such project like this initiated by the Governor of NCD is of significant undertaking that the people of Koiari must appreciate.
He said NCDC has already invested over K1million in the initial project’s feasibility study and design.
Enage thanked NCDC again for its efforts to further source possible foreign investors to commence the development of the project under the Built, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) arrangement that will trigger income earing opportunities, employment and benefit sharing opportunities for the people of Koiari including central province and the country in general.
Enage added if the project is delivered successfully, the Sky Rail project will drive the development and growth of domestic tourism in the province and NCD.
Meanwhile, Central Governor Robert Agarobe recently protested against this idea by Governor Parkop because it was trespassing Central people’s land and there was no consultation made to his office on this massive project undertaking.
