Namatanai’s remote Feni Primary School in the Anir constituency of Tanir local level government on Friday, March 10 witnessed the official opening of a new double classroom.
Member for Namatanai, Walter Schnaubelt on his electoral duty tour did the official ribbon cutting in front of a huge crowd consisting of students, teachers, local leaders and the general public.
The double classroom funded under the ward development support grant at the cost of K50,000 was constructed by a local contractor together with the help of Feni community on the island.
“I want to say thank you to the school board of management, carpenter and the community for working together in building the double classroom,” Schnaubelt said.
He said Anir island is very isolated and it takes a lot of effort and hard work to bring in materials from the mainland with huge logistics cost.
“I understand and appreciate the challenges and as long as I’m your leader, we will work together in addressing some of these challenges going forward,” Minister Schnaubelt said.
Happy with the people’s resolve to work together and implement much needed projects such as the school building, the local MP further committed another K50,000 to the school for other school infrastructure needs.
Minister Schnaubelt also announced a new policy shift that will impact the lives of the people in the rural areas is the Ward Development Support (WDS) program.
“This program allows each ward in Namatanai to receive K50,000 each year for the development needs of the people at the ward level. It will be administered by the NMT (Network Management Team) based in each ward,” he said.
The MP further announced as well a housing project whereby 50 recipients in a council ward will receive 16 sheet red colour bond roofing irons together with a K300 voucher from a hardware store to purchase nails and other needed items to help build a house.
With the disconnection in communication, the Anir Island has with the outside world, Minister Schnaubelt assured the people that work is currently underway to have National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) or NBC New Ireland heard on Anir and Tanga (Tanir LLG) soon.
