Abel suggests new approach for maritime provinces

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday October 15th, 2013

 COASTAL areas in Papua New Guinea can expect some government support to improve their maritime activities, National Planning Minister Charles Abel said at Kupiano, Central. 

“Four to five years from now the government would like to see every maritime district to have a boat and all LLGs with concrete steel jetties. This is to improve transport and service delivery,” Abel, pictured, said.

He said money was available in the coastal vessels programme for maritime provinces but the government process was slow.

“It was the plan to implement the programme in a way that boats could be brought to the maritime provinces but the government process was taking time,” Abel said.

He said his new approach would be to divide the funding to all maritime provinces to buy their boats and build jetties.

“To ensure that within the four to five years we accomplish this, we will divide the funding in parliament.” 

Abel pledged a donation of K1 million to the district of Abau to replace their ship mv Abau.

He gave K100,000 to the Abau Youth Council for their programme. 

He said as member for Alotau in Milne Bay, they had four ships and would be getting a new one next year.

“We, at Alotau, have four ships and will be getting a new one next year and we are giving them all to the churches to work with us in partnership.”