‘SHP people still struggling’

THE liquefied natural gas (LNG) project will dominate media discussions and greatly affect the lives of Papua New Guineans.
However, the future elites and professionals hailing from its source in Southern Highlands province (SHP) thought that very little ground work had been done by all stakeholders.
These people are of view that there is grave danger looming in SHP which has been tagged as the richest province in resources, because its people are not ready and many of them are still struggling at home.
Southern Highlands students association at the University of Technology (Unitech) are mobilising towards a greater movement which is aimed at educating and preparing their local people back in the districts of SHP on the massive changes that will take place.
The students met with their president-elect Lewis Levongo and raised some concerns during their first general meeting of the year at the University of Technology Taraka campus last Thursday evening to
discuss the generation and distribution of wealth and the current state of the province.
The association’s aim now is to organise and effectively tour the province on an awareness drive to
educate the people and, in effect, replace the current heavy presence and funding of police mobile patrols deployed by the National Government.
The students said the presence of police would not effectively change the people and their mindset, but being educated by their own children would change them and get them ready for the effects of the LNG
project in the province and unite with the stakeholders.