Boats worth K364,000 a big catch for Rigo

THE people of Rigo Coast in Central will now be able to take their catch to sell at the Koki fish market in Port Moresby after receiving new boats and outboard engines.
Fourteen seven-metre banana boats with 40-horsepower engines, costing K364,000 in total, were presented to them by Rigo MP Lekwa Gure at Gabutu yesterday.
Gure told The National that fishing was part of his five-year development plan for the electorate.
“This boats will assist the locals to transport their fresh catch with other produce to the main markets in Port Moresby so they can earn some money.
“Not only that, the Rigo district development authority is also embarking on establishing a number of business arms and one of it is the Rigo Fisheries Corporation.
“We are already in partnership with the National Fisheries Authority to help us set up this corporation. We are looking at having onshore facilities with a jetty, cool room and administration.”
Gure said the location is yet to be identified.
A recipient, Pako Komu, from Gabone in Rigo Coast, said: “We will bring smoked fish to the main market in Port Moresby. We never brought fresh fish for almost three years because there was no proper sea transportation.”