MP Disperses Funds

Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture and Member for Samarai-Murua, Isi Henry Leonard, this week presented cheques worth over K1 million for various service delivery projects for the district.

The monies was dispersed to various organizations that will assist in the delivery of vital services in the maritime district.

The organizations and funding amounts are as follows:

  • Adventist Care (AdCare) Foundation – K285, 000
  • Sariba Seventh-day Adventist Church – K18, 000
  • AdCare will conduct a basic vanilla training workshop 
  • Aero Medical Services – K342, 975
  • K92, 975 for medical drugs and testing kits; and
  • K250, 000 for COVID-19 awareness and vaccination rollout
  • Roselaw Limited – K499, 112.90
  • For logistical services
  • Losola Holdings Limited – K101, 200
  • To conduct sporting programs for the islands

Minister Leonard said funds dispersed to these services are essential for the livelihood for the people in the district and surrounding islands.

Speaking on the funds allocated to Aero Medical Services to carry out medical checks, COVID-19 awareness and the rolling out of COVID-19 vaccination programs, Minister Leonard said the medical services that will be provided are important.   

He said: “Given the fact that COVID-19 is here to stay and our people who are out in the rural areas, especially in the district, they have little or no knowledge about the COVID-19 and the threat that it possesses, in terms of health.

Dr Eddie Edimani from Aero Medical Services will be leading a team of medical professionals to carry out COVID-19 awareness and rollout a vaccination campaign for the district

In addition, his team will be administering regular medical checks and providing drugs to the centres that have been lacking.

The medical team will be identifying critical medical conditions and arranging with the MP’s office to have the patients transported to main centers to receive proper treatment if need be.

Part of the medical team’s scope of work includes conducting a stock take of medical equipment, infrastructure and services of the medical facility in Misima.

The Minister said this is to ensure the medical services are up to standard in terms of COVID-19 challenge and other diseases.

On receiving funding for AdCare Foundation and Sariba SDA Church, Pastor Robert Nana said the focus of the foundation has been on agricultural projects as this area has proven to be a major impact project in the lives of the island people.

AdCare has been involved in many agricultural programs. Since 2019, the foundation has promoted vanilla cultivation efforts in the district and continues to do so at present.

Milne Bay is largely a maritime province, with over 600 islands. Many villages can only be reached through boats and thus making service delivery all the more difficult.

Roselaw Ltd, a logistics company will cater to transporting and delivering to the islands, rations and much needed items on a barge. While Losola Holdings will be organizing sporting programs for the people on the islands.

Minister Leonard said many of the islands are so isolated. The only threat of the COVID-19 virus would come from outsiders traveling to the islands. The pandemic has closed off the borders and has killed off many tourism activities.

Author: 
Marysila Kellerton