Growth centres vital for development

THE National Government’s growth centre concept is an intervention to target pocket areas in Papua New Guinea that are lacking in development,  Minister for National Planning, Monitoring and District Development Paul Tiensten says.
The Tol Growth Centre at Wide Bay in the East Pomio LLG is among one of these four pilot projects  that the National Government is focusing on to bring about socio-development.
Mr Tiensten was speaking last Thursday at Tol during the groundbreaking ceremony signifying the commencement of survey works and infrastructure projects to be undertaken in which K6 million had been earmarked with contracts already rolled out.
The survey would be  undertaken by Maxwell Surveyor.
Mr Tiensten said it was very difficult to bring services so the National Government was focusing on maintaining important facilities in one area to  pull the people to that particular area through roads and other vital infrastructure.
He said in the New Guinea Islands, Tol was chosen to have a growth centre as it was well sheltered for a wharf and for an airstrip to be built.
He said according to the master plan of the growth centre, K6 million from the National Government had been released to Maxwell Surveyor to survey and a town planner from Cairns would also be engaged.
Mr Tiensten said he would be holding discussions with Digicel to set up a communication tower at Tol and a mini-hydro from the Mevelo River.