Menyamya

It is a new cut road that is set to connect at least three districts; namely Menyamya, Bulolo and Huon Gulf when completed.

Member for Menyamya and Vice Minister for Treasury Solen Loifa, who initiated this milestone project with funding support from the Marape-Rosso Government, was pleased to have visited the project site to get the progress report firsthand.

It is a 75-kilometre road and the contractor has so far covered 10 kilometres in three months, with 65 kilometre remaining.

With regular heavy downpours, the rough dirt tracks of Menyamya, in Morobe Province, are almost impassable. Even on sunny days, it would take three hours for a vehicle to reach Umba from Menyamya Station.

During Tuesday’s opening of the new and fully-equipped K5.1 million Umba Community Health Post, locals and health workers at Kome Rural LLG expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the facility.

Morobe’s Provincial Administrator, Max Brutan, made this statement during the recent launching of Menyamya's 5-year plan and new projects.

“Morobe is the biggest province and has its own enormous challenges,” Brutan said.

“We cannot solve Morobe’s problems overnight but having traveled along the roads into Menyamya, my heart broke when I saw the condition of the roads and the way our people live.

Morobe’s newly-appointed provincial administrator, Max Brutan, stressed on road connections, which give access to people to move back and forth and, in turn, stimulate economic and social development.

Good roads mean active economic activities.

“It is very important that all our Members and leaders must stand together to ensure that we talk about road network,” he said. “For instance, we need to connect Kabwum to Lae, we need to connect Finschhafen, which the honourable Minister, Rainbo Paita, is doing.

Proper drainage has also been put in place with contractors and heavy vehicles still moving about.

This is the beginning of change under the leadership of the newly-elected Member, Solen Loifa.

Today, Loifa will be launching his district’s 5-year development plan (2023-2027) and new projects, which is to be officiated by Prime Minister James Marape.

Teams from the Morobe Provincial Administration, provincial government and Prime Minister’s office are currently on ground, including local MP, Loifa, Wau-Waria MP, Marsh Narewec and Bulolo MP, Sam Basil Jnr.

Robin John, who was with the PNG Defence Force for 15 years, returned home after the death of his parents to settle, only to find himself struggling to help victims of gender-based violence.

He said he deals with at least three different cases in a day. 

“When I’m there, everyone’s just coming and I feel so burdened and bogged down,” said John, who is from Kome Rural LLG.

“I came down to the provincial administration, trying to seek some assistance from them. They thought I was after money. I said no, all I want is some work done.”

While the Kapao LLG station is slowly taking shape, police reservist, Antipas Giatrus, outlined the pressing issue of law and order.

Giatrus has been working there as a police reservist for eight years, with less than 10 other colleagues.

And with no police station, suspects are taken to Bulolo district for lockup, which is another costly exercise, especially when there is no police vehicle.

“Polis stesin na polis kar i mas stap bikos ol lukim olsem em bikpla ishu. (A police station and police vehicle is needed.)

ENB Provincial Police Commander Chief Inspector Joseph Tabali said the police report stated that the deceased Mathew Yasaking, was allegedly attacked and wounded with a bush knife. Yasaking who resides with his family at Raulava plantation, was in his house when he was approached by the suspect at around 5pm.

PPC Tabali said the disagreement came about after a mediation between the suspect and the deceased regarding money that the deceased got from the suspect. After the mediation the suspect was not happy with the decision and decided to attack the deceased.

Tinola Manas, from Poiyu village, said village birth attendants use plastics, bamboos and bush ropes to deliver babies.

Manas has been a village birth attendant for over a decade, serving the women of Poiyu village in the Nanima-Kariba LLG of Menyamya.

Basic services are non-existent in her village, while their aid post is only a building with nothing inside.

“Hevi blo ol mama, mi sa lukim disla olsem, taim blo ol lo karim, nogat wanpla gutpla haus sik,” she shared. (There are no hospitals for mothers to give birth.)

Provincial program advisor for education, Keith Tangui, said the three primary schools are Omili in Lae, Erap in Nawaeb district and Menyamya.

He said three teachers in Menyamya primary have contracted the virus, including a Grade Seven student.

“Omili we have got one teacher who was infected with COVID-19, including Erap,” stated Tangui.

Tangui said head teachers have already started contact tracing, where persons of interest will be isolated.

“Those who are suspected of having COVID will be transferred down to the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium to get tested.