Middle Ramu MP hands in 2013 acquittals

 MIDDLE Ramu MP and Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Tommy Tomscoll submitted his acquittals for the money spent in 2013 under district grants.
Tomscoll, district treasurer David Weri and  administrator Edmund Ombeba presented the reports to the Department of Rural Development deputy secretary-operations Stephen Rambe in Port Moresby, last Friday.
Like most MPs who submit their reports,  Tomscoll highlighted that the District Services Improvement Programme funding for administrative costs were insufficient, while maintaining his priority areas in agriculture, law and order, health, education and infrastructure development.
“Middle Ramu is a very expansive area that borders some of the remotest parts of Angoram, Kompiam, Mul Baiyer and Jimi outlaying hinterlands,” he said.
“My administration can’t do everything and as such could only focus on the primary projects of importance.”
Tomscoll told of the difficulties and limitations he was continually faced with while serving his electorate via the Ramu River by barge. 
One of those areas is the agriculture and development sector, where he had taken delivery of 22 cocoa fermentries which were awaiting the barge to ship them into the district.
“With only one barge and transport dependent on the tide of the river, it can be a very expensive exercise,” Tomscoll said.
He said for people to participate in the delivery of a fermentary, they must have up to 5000 cocoa trees as one of the criteria’s set.