PNG donates K4mil to SI students

By NATALI LAVI
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Samuel Abal presented a cheque for K4 million in education grant assistance to the government of Solomon Islands (SI) on Tuesday.
The grant was received by SI High Commissioner to PNG Bernard Bata’anisia.
The K4 million education grant was part of the K23 million funding signed under the memorandum of agreement (MoA) last year to assist SI students studying in tertiary institutions in PNG.
Mr Abal said PNG was very proud to give assistance to the SI, adding the gesture was also in recognition of the close relations between the two Melanesian countries.
“It is also a commitment by the PNG Government to assist the SI government in investing in its manpower and human resource development,” he said.
He noted that apart from the education assistance, PNG also aided SI by deploying military aircraft and personnel to assist in relief operations in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Gizo.
“The current assistance to SI is evidence of the PNG Government’s commitment to building a close and lasting bond with its closest Melanesian neighbour and partner,” he said.
Mr Bata’anisia thanked the PNG Government saying that this assistance was a great relief for them.
He said some top leaders and professionals in SI were the products of the PNG education system.
He said the SI government was looking at increasing the number of students to study in PNG.