Jiwakans express gratitude to govt and PM

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

PEOPLE in Jiwaka are grateful to Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and Cabinet for appointing John Andrias the new Secretary for Trade and Industry.

Former law and order chairman in the Jiwaka Transitional Authority Billy Kolip said Andrias, from Jiwaka, was well educated and an experienced public servant.

“This is a bonus for the Jiwaka people after the government gave us a new province,” he said.

Kolip also thanked O’Neill for making funding available through the National Development Bank to enable people obtain loans to engage in small businesses.

He said the government, after the Kokopo meeting in 2011 when Richard Maru was managing director of NDB, had fulfilled the promise to help “small” people.

But he expressed concern over the awarding of businesses reserved for locals to foreigners.

Kolip said while he welcomed foreign investors in the province and country, only genuine ones should be allowed in to engage in large-scale businesses.

“It’s not good to see them operating fast food outlets or operate trade stores back in the districts,” he said.

Kolip said locals were increasingly becoming spectators on their land as foreigners were taking over businesses that should be reserved for them.

“I don’t blame them for coming to engage in such activities but there is loophole in the government’s foreign policy and system which these people are taking advantage of,” he said.