Powi: Plan is okay

 By JEFFREY ELAPA

SOUTHERN Highlands Governor William Powi has reiterated that his government is strategically focused on bringing changes and development to the province. 

He said this in response to claims that there was a lack of implementation of services while too much media publicity was given on the master plan that he had initiated and launched recently. 

Powi said his government’s basic agenda was to set the directional compass for transforming the province, which had not happened during his term as provincial administrator.

“Let me remind everyone that there is no ‘one size fits all.’ 

“Virtually all provinces are unique with their own challenges and development aspiration and so the provincial planning must reflect this. This is the way to start transforming the SHP and that’s why the master plan, as a strategically overarching development framework for the transformation of the province, got the right publicity,” he said.

“If the two assume that there is nothing happening on the ground then both are malicious, misconstrued and have not been to the province as I have already started implementing the plan. One of my priority programmes under the master development plan for 2013-1014 is the full restoration of services, rehabilitation of all government infrastructure, and stability in governance.”

The governor said he had funded and rehabilitated the following provincial roads: Lai Pinj Mendi (K800,000); Mendi-Karinz ( K2 million); Mendi-Tambul (K3 million); Mendi Town road sealing (K3 million); Yaria-Kagua (K2 million); Nembi Plateau (K2 million); Kagua-Erave (K2 million); Wiru Loop (K1 million); Ialibu-Muli (K500,000); Pangia station-East Pangia (K1 million); and Tona-Piambil (K2 million).

Powi said he had also given equally support to law and order to address the prevailing status of the sector while other sectors also received equal support and recognition from his government.

He said in the health and education sector, the provincial government had contracted a competent private sector authority to assess the falling standard to improve the sector. 

He added that he was currently improving the five secondary and seven high schools in the province by installing V-sat facilities.

He said to support the economic sector and agriculture rehabilitation, youth empowerment, cooperative society facilities and empowering the people to start small scale business, his government is partnering with foreign investors.

“There is more work in progress and my government is focused to concentrate on the future. Strategic framework is conceptualised and will go full swing with establishment of Rural Development Bank to support credit facilities. To get the plan implemented, the government has approved the SHP administrative structure. My job is to set the priorities, programmes and policies in place and not an implementer,” he said.