Govt shifts focus to provinces

THE Government is starting to turn its focus from nation’s capital to the provinces for equal development.
Prime Minister James Marape said this on Friday in Tambul, Western Highlands, during the launch of the Tambul-Nebilyer district integrated development plan.
“Port Moresby is not Papua New Guinea where seven million people live,” he said.
Marape said around a million people lived in Port Moresby while rest lived in the provinces.
He said the Government was shifting its focus to the provinces to ensure that development was spread equally.
“I want to share resources and development equally, not just concentrated in one centre like Port Moresby,” he said.
Marape said despite having gas and oil extracted from his home province since 1990, there were no sealed roads into Hela.
He said the revenue earned from these major projects was not making a bigger impact in the people’s lives.
Marape said that major contracts awarded to three or four Chinese companies had not gone down well with other MPs in Government which was one of the contributing factors to the change in government.
“While my Government is looking at developing district and provinces, I want people to respect the law,” he said.
“If you are a resource owner, but can’t respect law and order and continue to arm yourselves, my Government will not deliver any developments to your areas.”
Marape said this while condemning the killing of a policeman in Hela earlier this month.
“Be patient, maintain law and order, allow peace and harmony in your district and province, the Government will come in with funding and help you.”
Marape said he wanted to help people to achieve economic independence.
“Provinces and districts that maintain peace will get more State funding.”