Rural Namatanai communities get funding assistance

  THE opportunity to scale the ugly face of neglect is opening up for over thirty rural outback communities and islands in the Namatanai District in New Ireland province with the visit of a Provincial Government patrol dishing out over K 200,000 worth of cheques this week.

The funding assistance is a timely gesture of goodwill for the people who’ve undeniably missed out on government services and support highlighted in the findings of the combined government and administration patrol in April – May last year led by the Governor, Sir Julius Chan.

Mr Lutham dishing out cheques along the west coast of Namatanai.

The project assistance are part of the continuing effort by the Governor and his Cabinet to support these forgotten communities of New Ireland that have been handicapped by distance and remoteness and neglect by previous governments, particularly Lak and Kandas.

The Cabinet Chairman responsible for Local Level Governments and the Appointed Youth Representative, Englebert Lutham is leading the team, which departed Kavieng last night and will canvass the west and east coast villages all the way to the southern tip to distribute the cheques.

Mr Lutham said they have ten villages to cover on the west coast where they will then continue this week on the east coast with 17 more communities to reach, altogether amounting to K 196,000 for the Namatanai mainland area.

Mr Lutham will also give away K 24,000 worth of cheques for seven small projects on the outer Tanir LLG embracing islands of Tanga and Anir.

The funds for projects including church buildings, cocoa and fishing projects have been drawn from allocations to the Churches, Youth and Community Representatives and the 2009 Member’s Discretional component for the Governor.

This once again fulfill the prophesy of the Governor who continued to implement the Malagan vision that no one should be left behind.   Sir Julius constantly reminded the people of these forgotten areas, “This is your time – you may be the last but you will be the best.”