Japan comes to the party with K33mil fish market

By GYNNIE KERO
A NEW fish market to be built at Alotau will help the people of Milne Bay store and sell their produce and fish before returning to their villages at the end of the day.
A ceremony on Saturday in Alotau marked the start the construction work of the K33 million market.
Esther Lebasi, of East Cape in the Alotau district, said the fish market would help ease some burden on the locals.
Damaris Tiwai, of Maramatana, Alotau, said vendors like her who went into Alotau to sell vegetables would enjoy the facilities.
National Fisheries Authority (NFA) managing director John Kasu said work on the Alotau town market and fisheries facilities project was part of the Government’s coastal fisheries development programme which would be funded by a grant from the Japanese Government at a cost of K33 million.
Kasu said the programme was tailored towards promoting inclusiveness of rural and small-scale fishing communities into participating in economic development, income-earning opportunities and others.
He thanked the project partners and the Japanese government and was confident the project would be delivered on time and on budget.
Deputy Prime Minister and Alotau MP Charles Abel said coastal markets had been built across the country and praised the Japanese government for its assistance.
Similar projects have been undertaken in East Sepik and Madang, with plans for more markets in other centres.