APRIL 30 2022
Prime Minister and Pangu Pati Leader Hon. James Marape says remote parts of the country like the Siassi islands of Morobe are no longer being forgotten under his Government.
He said this at Bunsil Station on the main Umboi Island during his visit on Tuesday (April 26 2022) in which he opened several impact projects of the Tewai-Siassi District Development Authority (DDA) of Pangu MP Hon. Dr Kobby Bomareo.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Morobe Governor and Pangu Deputy Leader Hon. Ginson Saonu, Fisheries Minister Hon. Dr Lino Tom, Works and Highways Minister Hon. Michael Nali, Justice Minister Hon. Pila Niningi and Lands and Physical Planning Minister Hon. John Rosso.
PM Marape also gave K5 million to the Tewai-Siassi DDA to build a community centre at Bunsil to cater for women, youth, small business training and Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE); and assured the people that his Government would continue work on the Siassi Ring Road until completed.
He urged the Siassi islanders to go more into agriculture and fisheries, as well as develop forestry resources themselves than allowing foreign companies in to continue to exploit this.
Projects the Prime Minister launched included a Telikom tower which enables islanders for the first time ever to have Internet and mobile phone connectivity with the outside world; three police houses and police lock-up; and Siassi sub-district administration.
The tower, particularly, is a big achievement for Siassi as there was previously only one spot at Lablab from which islanders walked or sailed in from miles around to make phone calls and use the Internet.
PM Marape said Siassi was developing because of the hard work and commitment of Dr Bomareo since he was elected in 2017.
“Reflect back on how life ws before 2017 and what has been happening since 2017,” he said.
“Siassi, and the whole country, was travelling along the wrong road until 2019 when we changed government.
“Your MP, Dr Bomareo, was instrumental in this change of government which has led on to the many developments you are seeing now.
“Today, after three years, we are steering the canoe in the right direction which our founding fathers foresaw in 1975 for equal development all over the country.
“Resources must be equally distributed all over the country and not only to one area like Port Moresby.
“Remote areas of the country like Siassi have been forgotten for far too long.”
“I want the people of Siassi to have hope for a better tomorrow.”
PM Marape said he would take a group back to Siassi for a weekend in the near future.
