Tari mini hydro gets funds for repairs
By ANDREW ALHONSE
THE power blackout problem affecting Tari in Southern Highlands would soon be over.
This follows the presentation of K300,000 for repair work on the faulty mini hydro electricity plant near the Dauli Teachers College.
Tari-Pori MP James Marabe and Komo-Margarima MP Francis Potape last weekend flew to Tari to present the money from the provincial government to a resource developer in the region .
The provincial government has asked Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) to repair the hydro using its manpower, materials and expertise.
The town has been without power for two months now after the hydro broke down and there was no diesel for the standby generator that was used to supply power to Tari.
Since June last year, Hides Joint Venture (HJV), a landowner company that would work in partnership with PNG Power Ltd in the K80 million National Government-funded Southern Highlands rural electrification project (SHREP), supplied free diesel to light up the town.
However, HJV chairman Philip Undialu said so far SHREP has used K200,000 in the last six months to provide free diesel for the generator, which is beyond their budget, so they have stopped supplying diesel as of last month.
This prompted the four Hela MPs including Governor Anderson Agiru, John Kekeno (Koroba-Lake Kopiago), Potape and Marabe to solicit funding for the repair work on the hydro as a long-term solution.
Local residents and businesses have welcomed the good news.
PJV is set to overhaul and repair the hydro now that funding has been made available.
“We are grateful to Governor Agiru, MPs Marabe, Potape and Kekeno for heeding this plight of ours,” United Church Hela region bishop Rev Wai Tege said.

Enga MPs urged to work as a team
By JAMES APA GUMUNO
ENGA politicians have been urged to put their political differences aside and work as a team to serve the people and develop the province.
Governor Peter Ipatas said the five parliamentarians including himself would not play petty politics at the provincial level but will work as a team to deliver much needed services to the people in the province.
He said the National Alliance and the People’s Party will work side by side in the province.
He said the appointment of Wapenanmanda MP Miki Kaeok, who is a National Alliance man as deputy governor, is to show cooperation among the different political parties in the province.
Mr Ipatas said national leaders have a role to play in their districts and also at the national level, and urged them to fulfill their roles and responsibilities.
He said what people don't understand is that the province is not controlled by politicians.
Politicians control the province when they make physical contact with their people.
He said council presidents play a vital role in the province to implement impact projects.
Mr Ipatas said some of the impact projects the council presidents have set up include the Enga childrens’ fund, Wapenamanda coffee factory, Pilakambi High School, Tei Abal Secondary School and many others.
Mr Kaeok also shared similar sentiments.
He said they would still be active members of the joint district planning and budget priority committee.
Mr Kaeok said Enga province is a difficult province to run but councillors play important roles along with Governor Ipatas to deliver much-needed services to the people.

Agiru gives funds to school
PINZ Primary School in the lower-Mendi area of Southen Highlands province will now see new infrastructural changes taking place .
Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru committed K200,000 early this year to the school for infrastructural developments and other maintenance work.
School principal Robert Temo Sera told The National yesterday that he has received the money and would work on the projects immediately.
Mr Temo said he had arranged with the Christian Union Mission, a construction company based in Mt Hagen, to work on the projects starting next month.
He commended Mr Agiru for his commitment in funding schools and for empowering human resource development in the province.
He said his school never received funding in the past to renovate its infrastructure.
Mr Temo presented K64,000 to the Christian Union Mission managing director, Jim Johnson, to carry out the first lot of work starting next month.
Mr Temo said he would pay the contractor in installments untill the job is completed.
He said money given by the governor would be directed to infrastructure development so that children would have better facilities to learn.
Meanwhile, he raised concerns about the frequent road blocks along the notorious Nipa section.
of the road towards Tari.
He added that such roadblocks would hinder development in the province and urged the people of Nipa to allow people to move around freely.

Cops after protestors
PEOPLE vandalising State properties will be dealt with accordingly.
Eastern Highlands provincial police commander Supt Teddy Tei issued the warning following damages done to two police vehicles and the Kainantu police station building by an angry mob.
The protestors, unhappy with the release of a wanted criminal Patrick Sira and six others by Aiyura police and seeking explanations, were on their way to the Kainantu station when police intervened.
However, two police vehicles had their windscreens smashed and the police station building lost a number of its louvre blades during the confrontation.
Supt Tei said leaders of the protest march will be arrested and charged with destroying public properties.
Internal Security Minister Sani Rambi blamed leaders in Kainantu for the escalating law and order problems. Police commissioner Gari Baki is expected to personally visit Kainantu to assess the situation.

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