Bena needs better planning

The National Letters

ALLOW me a space to express my view on Bena District MP Benny Allan.
In the previous successive terms of parliament, some sort of development did happen under his leadership.
He did invest in education, health, road and infrastructure, and maybe market building and others.
Also in the successive governments, he held several government port folios and ministries.
He is a very senior member and a veteran in the short history of this nation.
By now Bena should be a model district in Eastern Highlands.
It should be a district where all other members of Eastern Highlands should look up to and learn lessons to develop their districts but instead it is not.
This is because of his long stay in Parliament unlike other districts in Eastern Highlands where in each successive term, new MPs are elected with his own developmental plans and much is left undone by successive members.
With the past gone and future in focus, I would like to pinpoint out a great sleeping giant that Benny Allan needs to uncover that will change Bena district for the next half a century to come.
Bena district has a great potential to tap into agriculture and farming.
It’s the only district that produces pineapples and oranges in large quantities and supply to Goroka market by organic rural farmers throughout the entire year.
He can capitalise on this great potential and transform Bena.
What he needs to do now for better Bena tomorrow is:

  • Identify students from various universities in the country and send them for specialist training;
  • Set a timeframe of about 10 years and educate them and have a plan in focus to bring them back once they finish;
  • Give them seed capital for instance say k100 million;
  • Establish a pineapple and orange farm; and
  • Build a factory.

From this, thousands will be employed, very many products like pineapple juices, orange juices, ice creams, chocolate, and beer can be made and be exported throughout PNG and other countries and also the fresh fruits can be packaged and sold in large quantity.
Now, many ghood years of your time in parliament has been wasted on things that do not reflect real development despite you being the MP for far too long.

Please do something innovative for people of Bena and give them meaning and purpose in life.

Akoe