Enga starts to grow

Letters

ENGA is progressing despite being the last province.
Arriving from Wabag after spending the Easter weekend, I saw and heard of the developments taking place or being planned.
A new five-star hotel will be built, a five-star hospital is under construction, the current Wabag Hospital is going to be turned into a commercial centre, a Wabag Market will be built, the Sopas Hospital redevelopment is impressive, roads connecting Hela and Southern Highlands will be connected into Enga, Air Niugini and PNG Air are now flying into Wapenamanda, the Mt Hagen-to-Porgera section of the Highlands Highway is the best, and many more to add if I had spent a week or two.
More guesthouses, inns and motels are taking shape in the districts and in villages.
Commercial agriculture is taking its hold, starting with Sirunki and Tsak Valley.
Two hydro-electricity plants are planned, and one is under construction at Pilikambi in the Laigap-Pogera district.
An e-library is being trialed with one of the secondary schools in the province.
Wapenamanda Airport will get a massive facelift similar to the one seen at Goroka and will have a two-storey building and widening of the runway. Phase two will be the lengthening of the runway.
Governor Sir Peter Ipatas and his administration are moving the last province forward. Enga is getting a surgical facelift right now.
In the districts, the Task Valley Road is the best seen even during the time of WASO to now.
The Yakuman Land (Kumbaskam) was the commercial hub of the province, its idleness and demise was a very sad story when Wapenamanda was a small America.
I always have a silent tear seeing its current state.
My childhood memories of this place is like a dream.
Lutheran and Four Square Churches are contributing to health and education in the district.
The health and education developments in Kompiam District have largely been the work of the Catholic and Baptist churches.
Porgera landowners and the Enga provincial government are standing together to have a huge stake at the Porgera gold mine.
The current n Mining Act is a colonial law intended to steal resources from the rightful owners. It should be reviewed immediately so that the national government, provincial government and the landowners have a huge stake in any mining, petroleum and gas developments in the country.
This country has been raped by this Mining Act.
Kandep is seeing a lot of rain and the grass is beginning to get green.
A visit to this place where I spent a year or two of my non-schooling childhood life would be nice.
Wabag district is having some of its LLG areas connected by roads to the main Highlands Highway.
Wabag town is one of the cleanest and more beautiful towns in Papua New Guinea, and its landscaping is very good.
Engans are slowly returning to Enga to do business or spend weekends at home.
Tourism is slowly taking shape in the province.
Engans are great people.
Engans are great givers.
Once Enga is free of law and order disorders and tribal fighting, Enga will take its place in the development marathon race taking place right now in Papua New Guinea.

Dr James Naipao