The far-flung Lassul-Baining LLG of Gazelle district, in East New Britain Province, will finally have good roads.
This will be made possible for the North Baining area through a public-private partnership.
Gazelle MP, Jelta Wong, who is also National Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister, in partnership with local landowner, Henry Saminga Jnr, invited KKC Veneer Limited to set up a multimillion-kina veneer mill at Kurindal.
At the recent soft opening of the mill, Prime Minister James Marape commended Minister Wong for identifying the need for partnership in development and the joint participation by Saminga for the developer to set camp and help develop the area through the veneer venture.
The project is still in its extension stage and the developer revealed that by completion, the project should cost over K1 billion, with more than 9,000 jobs and migrate to production of plywood.
The Prime Minister presented K1 million on behalf of Forestry Minister, Salio Waipo, to Minister Wong to help fix roads in the area.
The funds are from the Log Export Development Levy (LEDL).
The company has been encouraged to have a sustainable reforestation exercise to replace the felled trees.