Namatanai

New Ireland police reported that on Saturday, March 30^th, at about 2.12pm, seven armed suspects entered Garden Enterprise Ltd, pretending to be customers.

Whilst inside the shop, they took two grass knives and a bush knife from the shelf, while they were already armed with two homemade pop guns and a factory-made pistol.

Every Mondays, only a few buses and dinghies come to town, while the Kavieng Market is closed for business.

While applauding this initiative in New Ireland Province, provincial police commander, Superintendent Albert Beli, encouraged locals to go the extra mile by cleaning around the village and using their initiative.

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.

Team Namatanai completed the quality checks of the Konoagil LLG late last night, which leaves the final seven boxes of NTI LLG to be checked today.

Update for Namatanai counting

As of 6.30pm, QC for Tanir was completed

Sentral Niu Ailan - Box 76-89, total of 14 boxes – DONE

Matalai LLG         -  Box 61-63, total of 3 boxes   – DONE

Nimamar LLG     - Box 71-75, total of 5 boxes     – DONE

Tanir LLG.            - Box 90-95, total of 5 boxes     – DONE

Konoagil LLG      - Box 55-60, total of 6 boxes      – DONE

Work has commenced on the K2.5 million Namatanai Advancement Ltd (NDDA Business Arm) joint-venture with Innovative Agro Industry Ltd to spearhead this Poultry Project at Kilak in Matalai Local Level Government.

The poultry project once completed will produce initially about 4000 eggs per day which will be distributed to Lihir and Simberi mines and also for domestic consumption in New Guinea Islands or Port Moresby.

This was evident in the number of people who turned up for an awareness meeting on Tunung Island in Lavongai, hosted by the National Alliance (NA) Party branch of New Ireland.

Namatanai MP and Forests Minister Walter Schnaubelt visited Tunung Island for the first time. He was happy to see that locals have shown great interest in economic development. 

Minister Schnaubelt assured them he will work with their local MP and Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey to ensure that the existing CBO, Structure Management Team (SMT) work together with the NMT, for a way forward.

Mr Schnaubelt in a statement said: “At the heart of the dismantling (not destruction) of the Seeto Council Chamber building and the solar technology equipment in Namatanai town is a question of who owns the land title and it’s land use, and whether consent was sought and secured to build the council chamber.

He said firstly, Namatanai District Development Authority is the legitimate owner of the land title in question. Secondly, the purpose of the land use involved is set aside for Namatanai Airstrip and not for a council chamber.

In a statement dated September 28^th, the NIP government says intensive investigations will include proper legal affidavits from government officials and agents in what it said is the biggest and disgraceful destruction of property in PNG’s political history that must be tolerated by the State.

It said that Mr Schnaubelt was responsible for the demolition of the Seeto Council Chamber and the solar power installation in Namatanai in August, causing a public outcry in the province against him.

The Walter’s Farming Association (WFA) Sub-Buying Point is part of the ‘Stretim Ai Dua Pastem” initiative that the Namatanai District Development Authority (NDDA) is implementing.

Local MP Walter Schnaubelt said, “We are walking the talk and we are delivering at the door steps so that the farmers in Lelet do not have to go to Namatanai to hours away to sell their vegetables.”

“This is the beginning of many more sub-buying points to come because the farmers now have money that they can spend and save for their children’s school fees and other expenses,” Schnaubelt added.

The company is owned by six Local Level Governments who each hold 4% shares, whilst the NDDA is the majority shareholder with a 76% stake in the company.

NAL Chief Executive Officer Hosea Kalis said, “We want to acquire assets and to build the company to have a strong value to negotiate with the bank to bring more development. This will enable the development of agriculture to enable people to have access to money and services in the community.”

Kalis explained that NAL belongs to the people of Namatanai.