City sees progress returns

 The city of Port Moresby is experiencing  returns of investments in major infrastructure development, says NCD Governor Powes Parkop.

Parkop told The National that the city playing host to major regional and international events were the returns of the government’s investments.

“I’d like to suggest too that all these investments that have been taking place in the city, especially in the infrastructure, the roads and the sporting facilities,  now we are seeing the returns on them,” he said. 

“We are getting these types of regional and global events that can only come because we have made the investments and the decision that needs to be made.

“The benefits of these investments are not just necessarily immediate like the Pacific Games. 

“People might ask what sort of revenue we generated? But the point is that we have made an investment for the long term.

“Like the Games Village going to the University of Papua New Guinea – that’s an investment that benefits the city, benefits the Pacific Games but in the long term it benefits the nation. 

“Now our students will be able to be accommodated in world-class facilities and an environment that hopefully will inspire them to learn better and do more and become better leaders of tomorrow.

“The reality is that we haven’t seen these types of investments in Port Moresby for the last 40 years.”

Parkop said it was a challenging year as Port Moresby would be hosting the Under-20 FIFA World Cup.

“We’re getting the entire world to come, there are teams coming from the five continents of the world and it’s a challenge,” he said.

“It’s also opportunity for us to showcase that we are a city that is living up to international standards and virtues, becoming a truly national capital and also a regional and international hub. 

“It’s also good for our country because it shows that the world is having confidence and wants us to keep on going in the direction we are going.”