Makmop: Bring PNGSDC to PNG

 FORMER Western governor Norbert Makmop has called on government to relocate the PNG Sustainable Development Company based in Singapore to PNG.

And it should be re-named the “Western Province Sustainable Development Fund.” 

He said once this was in place, it would be tied to Western province capital works programme for development.

He said it would cater for all types of capital infrastructure activities in the province including the building and upgrading of roads, bridges, jetties, wharves and to drive programme for youths, women, churches, and promote culture and tourism.

He said the capital funds could also be used to construct roads from Tabubil to Daru through Lake Murray using Ok Tedi mine waste materials (rocks and purified sediments).

It can also build roads connecting Telefomin in West Sepik and neigbouring provinces such as Southern Highlands, Gulf and Central.

Makmop, who was replaced by Dr Bob Danaya in 2002, also proposed the establishment of a local bank to be called a “Min Bank” for the Min people living along the Western and West Sepik-Indonesia 

border.

He said the people of Western were not given any opportunity to participate during the early stages of Ok Tedi agreement including the setting up of the PNGSDP. 

He said Western was seen as a poor and least developed province because of bad political leadership and poor provincial administration despite it being one of the resource-rich provinces in the country.