MAY 7 2022
Prime Minister and Tari-Pori MP Hon. James Marape has urged the people of Hela to go into businesses, including commercial agriculture, and for youths to pick up education.
He warned law breakers to leave guns.
PM Marape said guns were no longer worth wasting time on as people found to be in possession would be jailed for life under tough new laws passed by Parliament.
PM Marape made the call in front of a massive crowd of thousands of people in Tari on Friday (May 6 2022) during opening of the magnificent K8 million National National Bank (NDB) Building, named Moses Liu Haus, in memory of former NDB managing-director and Hela man, the late Moses Liu.
The NDB chipped in K4 million, Hela Provincial Government K3 million and Tari-Pori District Development Authority (DDA) K1 million towards construction.
PM announced before the cheering crowd that the Tari-Pori DDA office, called Pangale Haus, had been given to Women’s Micro Bank to serve women of the district – who have been undergoing SME training conducted by Mrs Rachael Marape at Hope Institute.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by State Enterprises Minister Hon. William Duma, Defence Minister Hon. Win Daki, Public Service Minister Hon. Joe Sungi, Hela Governor Hon. Philip Undialu, as well as representatives of Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH) and others State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) including NDB.
He also announced that Tari-Pori DDA had given K3 million to NDB and Hela Provincial Government K5 million to start lending to the people of Hela when the bank opens its doors on Monday, May 9, 2022.
PM Marape urged the people of Hela to take inspiration from two Hela business success stories, Shirley Komboli and Peter Honale, who became millionaires through hard work without the PNG LNG Project or support from MPs.
“In the 1980s, when Shirley Komboli and Peter Honale started their small businesses, there was no Hides gas field or MP to help them get started,” he said.
“Shirley Komboli was a simple village woman and Peter Honale was a simple village man, but today, they have properties in Australia, Port Moresby, Lae and other parts of the country.
“If they can do it, so can you.”
PM Marape cited the case of a young man from Tewai-Siassi, Morobe, who after completing university went into the coffee business and made a turnover of K800,000 last year.
“A bag of coffee can now earn you K600 per bag with the prices support we are now offering,” he said.
“You can earn more money from coffee, SMEs and agriculture than idling around waiting for LNG money.”
PM Marape said of the 115 students who sat for Grade 12 examinations last year at Hope Institute – which offers a second chance in education for school leavers – four were now at University of PNG, six at Pacific Adventist University and 16 at University of Goroka.
“I urge those of you who are doing nothing to go to Hope Institute and have a second chance at furthering your education too, whilst the rest can go into MSME opportunities Government is creating,” PM Marape said.
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