PRIME Minister James Marape has reassured the people of Southern Highlands that he would complete capital investment projects begun under his predecessor and Member for Ialibu-Pangia Peter O’Neill.
PM Marape explained that over the last two years since taking office, his government had retired over K700m worth of outstanding contracts initiated under O’Neill “as an example of how we continue some of these work so long as they are people-empowering and country-focused”.
The Prime Minister was speaking to people from Imbonggu and right throughout SHP and neighbouring provinces Western Highlands, Enga and Hela who had travelled in to Walume to participate in the Imbonggu Cultural Show. The show was held from 15 – 17 September to coincide with the celebration of the country’s 46th Independence anniversary.
PM Marape was invited to Walume to officiate over the Opening of the Imbonggu District Community Development Centre.
“I am here to assure you that the work we have begun with my brother O’Neill, we will carry them on,” he said in Tok Pisin.
“Wanem wok mipla wokim wantaim brata blong mi Peter O’Neill long 7 o 8-pla yia mipla wok wantaim, mipla bai karim igo yet.”
The Prime Minister gave examples of local projects, Western Pacific University and roads in SHP, that his Government is continuing to support.
On Western Pacific University he said: “Last year, we allocated K10m, this year another K10m, next year 2022 will be another K10m, and the other years after that too for the university.
“Your university is still going ahead so all our children here can get an education; so that children from the coast and even from throughout the Pacific can come here and get an education, because you are a peace-loving people.
“We are not going to stop it. It’s not Peter O’Neill’s personal property to carry in his pocket or mine to own. It belongs to you, for your children and children of our country.”
Giving the example of road development from Tambul to Tona Piambil, the Prime Minister said, civil works have started with a K5m allocation last year and the same this year, and would continue into the future.
Other roads in Wiru and east Pangia were also being funded in the Ialibu-Pangia electorate.
While this was happening, major efforts to connect SHP to Gulf Provinces through the Kagua-Erave-Semberigi-Kikori Road was going ahead, PM Marape added.
“This is so that you can have an alternate port in Gulf five years from now where you can access in 2 or 3 hours instead of driving all the way to Lae.
“So before Christmas this year, we will make the ground-breaking to begin the work linking Southern Highlands to Kikori.”
The Prime Minister encouraged southern highlanders not to get engaged in personalised politics but to pick up SME business and education, and look after law & order.
He also asked for the people of SHP and Hela to respect the rest of the people of Papua New Guinea because “they are continuing to bestow upon us the national leadership title for 10 years running with O’Neill’s tenure of eight years and mine for two years”.
After he finished the program at Walume, the Prime Minister went to preside over another program, a peace ceremony in his adopted village of Yombi in the Ialubu Basin, at which he has a residential place there.
-Press Release-
