MP: Hela finding its feet

 FINANCE Minister and Tari Pori MP James Marape believes the pathway to prosperity is opening up for his electorate.

From a township that had little to nothing going for itself, the provincial capital of Hela is slowly finding its feet to be on par with the rest. 

Marape made these points while presenting his district’s 2007-12 acquittals and achievement reports to National Planning Minister Charles Abel at Yote village, in the Tebi local level government area of Tari-Pori yesterday.

The event coincided with the launch of a five-year Tari district development plan for 2013-18. 

Marape said the challenges were huge in his electorate when he took over.

“There was no electricity in Tari, the banks were closed, roads were impassable, and law and order problems were worsening,” he said.

“There was only one junior high school and communication with the outside world was next to nil, with no radio, telephone or TV or even mobile coverage … there was even no Hela at the time.”