Southern Highlands Province

The visitors, who gave only their first names  are Leo and Alexander from Russia and from Ukraine are Myck and Dimitris.

Originally the group planned to visit the Kutubu resource project areas, but decided against it and returned to Mount Hagen, Western Highlands  on July 28.

In Mendi, the hitchhikers were accommodated by the President of Lower Mendi Local Level Government Peter Kundi and saw them off to Mount Hagen.

 A councillor from Kaupena, Robert Morombu, said it was a wise decision by the government to improve the “green gold” with loan financing from World Bank (International Development Association) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

“Coffee is our lifeline. Oil and gas will run out but this green gold (coffee) is here to stay until the second coming of Jesus.

“We thank World Bank, IFAD and also the PNG Government for coming down to the village level to save our coffee gardens.”

Keys for the Southern Highlands Provincial Government funded building was handed over by the contractor to school on Thursday June 30 2016).

Contractor, Pastor David James also handed the acquittal report to provincial projects coordinator Patrick Tombos detailing how the money was spent.

In doing so,  Pastor James challenged all other contractors in the province who had received substantial amounts of taxpayer funds for various projects to produce acquittals for purposes of transparency.

The provincial DPI advisor, Kenneth Toap said instead of wasting time chasing politicians and expecting free government hand-outs, people should return to their villages and work the land.

Toap said people should start growing out of the hand-out and mentality and “work hard on their land and earn plenty of good money”.

The MPs are Peter O’Neill (Prime Minister / Ilalibu-Pangia), James Marape (Minister for Finance / Tari-Pori), Francis Awesa (Minister for Works and Implementation / Imbonggu Open), De Kewanu (Vice Minister for Works / Member for Mendi Open), William Powi (Governor for Southern Highlands Province), Jeffery Komal (Nipa-Kutubu Open), Francis Potape (Komo-Margarima Open), James Lagea (Kagua-Erave Open) and Philip Undialu (Koropa-Lake Kopiago).