Mona vows to pay Goilala fees from 2013

TOLUKUMA Yulai Landowners Association chairman George Gusi welcomed parliamentarian David Mona on his visit to Tolukuma over the weekend.
Mona was met by 15 traditional dancing groups from the three language groups of Goilala district.
Gusi told Mona the people needed his support to review the outstanding memorandum of agreement and ensure a road was built from Tolukuma to Port Moresby.
He told Mona to take the MoA head-on as a local landowner of the Tolukuma gold mine area and surrounding exploration licence areas.
Mona told the people he initiated the first consultative meeting at Konedobu with Petromin Ltd, Tolukuma Gold Mines Ltd, Central governor, Central provincial government, Mineral Resources Ltd, Goilala district administration, Woitape local level government and the landowners association.
He said the meeting was successful and there were plans to review the MoA in November.
A planned trip to
Tolukuma was scheduled for the end this month. 
Mona told the people a high level government delegation had been invited to see issues and concerns of the affected communities.
The government delegation would include Mining Minister Byron Chan, Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma, Central Governor Kila Haoda and senior government officials led by Mona.
Mona was given a grand welcome with the killing of 12 pigs, traditional buai – breaking ceremony undertaken by chiefs from Auga Dilava valley, witnessed by people from all over Goilala district.
More than 7,000 people attended the programme to receive their member for the first since his declaration as the parliamentarian for Goilala.
Mona told the people he would be paying school fees from next year for all the Goilala students from high school to university level during his term in office.
He said he would be paying K25,000 for all outstanding school fees at the Tapini Sacred Heart High School this year for grades seven, eight, nine and 10.
The Louis Mona Foundation would be established as an educational scholarship programme for Goilala students studying in tertiary institutions across the country and overseas. 
Students would have to apply to the foundation to seek funding for their studies. 
Scholarships would be given for teacher training, nursing, police, agriculture and public service training to return back to the district and revive operations of public service with a 10-year commitment to work for the Goilala district.