Landowners urged to work together

National, Normal
Source:

The National –Thursday, January 6, 2011

 By JEFFREY ELAPA

A gas pipeline landowner company has appealed to other landowner companies that had received their business development grants to take the money home and make a change in people’s lives at home.

Hela section pipeline Ltd chairman Moses Hela Warila and director Edward Talu said that it was a blessing for their people to improve their lives, therefore, no money should be wasted in Port Moresby while the people suffer at home.

They said that they were with the people and would take whatever that was given to their company to distribute to the people to start up businesses.

They said since independence, the people had never seen any government services in their area but thanks God that the people could now see the light which is going to be the start of a new era for them.

They thanked the government and said so much money was given to their remote communities and that was enough to change the lives of the people. 

However, Warila urged the three landowner companies, Wahene, Bas, Pepoheya to come together and united so that they would served the interest of the people.

Talu assured the developer Exxon Mobil through its subsidiary Esso Highlands and the state that they would support the project and welcomed them to start work.

They said all landowners should now go back home and support the development as it was a blessing for a neglected group of people who lived primitive lives without any government services.

Meanwhile, the leaders thanked the acting Prime Minister Sam Abal, Minister for Commerce and Industry Gabriel Kapris, Minister for Planning Paul Teinsten, Minister for Finance and Treasury Peter O’Neill and Minister for Public Enterprises Arthur Somare and their secretaries and staff for speeding up the payments.

They also passed their gratitude to the grand chief Sir Michael Somare who made sure the project becomes a reality.