LLG president welcomes Hela with mixed feelings

KOMO leader and local level government president Thomas Potape on Wednesday received news of Hela becoming a province with mixed feelings.
While he applauded the national parliamentarians for supporting the bill to have two new provinces starting next year, including Jiwaka, Potape said the separation would not be fully realised for a long time yet.
“The Hela people will still look to Mendi and Southern Highlands for our shopping; the Bank South Pacific branch is still in Mendi; the court house and many other vital services will still be sought from Southern Highlands.”
He likened the development of the Hela headquarters in Tari to building a new garden house.
“The menfolk will go to Tari to start work on this new house and return home in the afternoon to Mendi where
our women and children are.
“We will still return to Mendi to our brothers, sisters and families,” Potape said.
“Our hausman, the Agiru Centre, is also in Mendi.”
Potape also acknowledged the hard work and commitment leaders on both sides of parliament had played in realising the Hela dream. He made particular reference to author of the Hela and Jiwaka reports and Wabag MP Sam Abal, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru and all provincial MPs and public servants who had worked tirelessly in seeing these dreams materialise.