District strikes deals

KIRIWINA-Goodenough MP Douglas Tomuriesa says the electorate has struck deals with investors from Zealand and Australia for its cocoa and coconut.
Goodenough chocolate produced in New Zealand is already on the market.
Tomuriesa said he had met with the producer of virgin oil in Townsville to set up a machine also on Goodenough Island to produce oil from coconuts.
Speaking to The National on the final day of Parliament last Tuesday, Tomuriesa thanked the Government for the DSIP funds which had been used for important projects in health, education and infrastructure in both Kiriwina and Goodenough districts.
Kiriwina-Goodenough is understood to have been the first remote district whose councillors attended and observed sittings of this ninth parliament.
Tomuriesa said: “I thought it would be good to have all our leaders from Kiriwina-Goodenough attend every session of Parliament so that they understand how Parliament functions, especially ward councilors when they attend meetings called by presidents.
“In every meeting, there should always be an opposition.
“The Goodenough chocolate is a product of government working together with the community.
“Company comes from New Zealand to Goodenough, buys our organic cocoa directly, takes it down and produces chocolate.
“I recently met producer of virgin oil from Townsville. I will be paying him K25,000 for him to bring in a machine.
“While we are going into elections, he will come and install the machine on Goodenough so we will produce virgin oil from coconut.
“Goodenough has more than 36,000 cocoa trees.
“We are looking at going back and harvesting our bech de mer now that it is open.”
Goodenough local level government vice-president Manoa Noah thanked Tomuriesa for the opportunity provided to everyone who has observed Parliament sessions, saying it was inspiring to know how meeting were held there.