New dawn for Hela – The National

By MALUM NALU

HELA, which has the paradox of being one of the richest but most undeveloped provinces in the country, had one of its biggest days in history last Friday with the opening of several new projects in Tari as well as the signing of agreements.
Thousands of people converged in Tari to witness the event, including more than 300 provincial and district finance managers from throughout the country, who had spent two days there for their annual conference.
Speaker after speaker heralded the event as the “dawn of a new era” for Hela, home of the PNG LNG Project, but which has been dragged to its knees in recent times by a spate of killings involving high-powered firearms.
Police and soldiers have been in Hela for the last couple of months to maintain law and order.
However, none of that was visible on Friday, as the people of Tari and Hela showed that they want to embrace change.
Events on Friday included the signing of agreements by the newly-built Hope Institute with University of PNG, Department of Education, and Susu Mamas, as well as another between National Agricultural Research Institute and the United Church for the development of agriculture in the province.
A brand new provincial treasury office was opened.
The National Development Bank announced that it would build a new branch in Tari.
Atlas Steel opened its brand new factory in Tari which will produce roofing iron, nails and other items.
Kumul Petroleum and Mineral Resources Development Company pledged their continued support to the people of Hela.
Finance Minister and Tari-Pori MP James Marape urged all to put aside their political differences to allow development to go ahead in Hela.
He made a payment of K9 million to three companies for the construction of road projects in the province.
He also announced that Kumul Petroleum had set aside K70 million for electricity from Komo to Tari, and on to Koroba and Mendi in Southern Highlands.
He said Prime Minister Peter O’Neill would also visit in the next couple of weeks to launch several major projects in Hela.