Pomio MP Elias Kapavore is focused on developing two important road access projects in his district in East New Britain.
Through the Pomio District Development Authority, he is partnering with existing development companies in the district to bring in development projects to his people in the district.
He made this known when he presented a K1 million cheque to oil palm development company Tzen Niugini Limited to start and continue road rehabilitation projects on two major road networks in his district.
Tzen Niugini Limited is developing the oil palm industry in East New Britain and has two established oil palm plantations, an operational palm oil mill and another one on the way.
Kapavore said the Pomio District Development Authority resolved to use and support long term development companies that had proven trustworthy through their operations by already contributing to infrastructure and other development services to his people.
“We want to give to the existing company there because they are already doing a lot of progress through their oil palm development in the area,” MP Kapavore said.
“These are important decisions. We do however have a threshold underneath the law governing the DDA regarding how much funding we can make available, and so the maximum limit we can give is K1 million,” he said.
The funding will be split in half and will be used for the first phases of road maintenance and upgrading of the Kadaulung to Reiet ring road into Sinivit LLG, and the South Coast economic corridor access highway which will link Pomio to Kokopo.
The Kadaulung to Reiet ring road is 15.97 km and runs along the back of Sinivit LLG and is a stretch of road from Warangoi Settlement to Ilugi, Kadaulung, Nemutka, Reiet road.
This is an economic road that needs urgent maintenance and improvement for the benefit of the sizeable population of the state block holders, and customary land owners of Namtalaman, Mararap, Kasapki ILGs, the Mali and Uramat clans of the Qaqet (Bainings), including the public use at large.
Tzen Niugini Limited through its oil palm development operations has already upgraded some of this road, which has stimulated large commercial, small holder and large agricultural activities which are contributing to the economy of the province.
The second major road maintenance and upgrading will be on the 74.10 km long South Coast economic development corridor from Upper and Lower Warangoi to Sikut through Putput, Kambubu Secondary School, Lat, Mungo Health Centre, Gar, Sumsum, Merai and to Ili which form the first part of the South Coast Economic Development Horizontal Roading Corridor Access Highway to connect to government constructed roads to the Kokopo.
This road is one of seven key economic corridor access highways in the country under the government and district strategic development plan.
Pomio MP Kapavore said these road development projects promoted the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) policy under the O’Neill-Dion government.
He said a similar arrangement had been done with Rimbunan Hijau (RH PNG) Group which had been operating for more than two decades in PNG, and had interests in forestry, timber processing, palm oil, media, retail and property development.
RH has its operations in oil palm development in ENB through its Sigite Mukus Integrated Rural Development Project in Pomio.
Mr Kapavore said RH is engaged as a partner to continue road development from Mamusi to Melkoi to link into the New Britain Access Highway and West New Britain.
Photo: Pomio MP Elias Kapavore poses with Tzen CEO E.K.Tan who shows the K1m cheque as Pomio DDA CEO and Pomio District Administrator Peter Peniet (middle) looks on.