The Kimbe Town Market is being re-developed and is co-funded by the Australia and New Zealand Governments with the West New Britain Provincial Government. The project was launched on Friday 18th March.
Australian High Commission Minister Counsellor, Diane Barclay in her opening remarks thanked Governor Sasindran Muthuvel for his leadership and commitment being vital to this project. She said this project sends a strong example to what can be done through co-investment through Provincial Administrations and Partners like Australia and New Zealand adding also, “A project of this scale certainly wouldn’t have been possible without this partnership.”
She elaborated that markets are one of the most economic infrastructures that can support families, communities and Provinces in PNG. In addition, through this development everyone who uses the market can enjoy safe, secure and accessible infrastructure.
“These improvements will not support only economic activities but will create a healthier, cleaner and productive marketing space and this ensure the health and wellbeing of market vendors in the years to come. It has been a difficult few years for the world with the impacts of the COVID pandemic. Australia is committed to support PNG and the broader the Pacific family throughout and these through from booth health and economic aspects of the pandemic,” said Barclay.
New Zealand High Commissioner Philip Taula said this was a partnership between New Zealand, Australia and WNBPG. In his 3 years of service in PNG he has observed that markets are the life and soul of communities all around the country. He agreed with Minister Barclay adding that markets are important community hubs or meeting places where people gather, spend time together and learn from each other about what is happening in the community.
High Commissioner Taula said, “We acknowledge also the efforts of UN women who are working alongside the provincial government to make sure that this market is run well, they’ve been selling right governance and management structures where women are represented and involved in decision making. Where markets are a safe place for everyone and that it can operate effectively and sustainably into the future.” Both international governments extended words of gratitude to key partners, Local Level Government, Vendors, UN Women, WNBPG, staff of the ESIP and all that contributed their time and effort to working on the project.
Governor Muthuvel thanked the Australian High Commission who helped to put the project together and for bringing the New Zealand High Commission on board as partner. “We only contributed K5 million for the project which is worth more than K30 million and both Australia and New Zealand almost equally contributed to complete this project with a total cost of almost K30 million. To my people, the entire procurement process was done through an independent procurement process, without any involvement of any kind of influence, so as to make sure a competent qualified contractor gets the project and can deliver a quality project on time,” he said.