New CEO for authority

By SAMUEL BARIASI
RICHARD Baia was appointed last week as acting chief executive officer for the Manam Restoration Authority (MRA) after former acting CEO Dennis Kosam resigned.
MRA chairman Dr Boga Figa told The National that Kosam resigned for health reasons.
“The new acting CEO has an extensive hands-on experience as a lands officer, community relations manager, and social impact assessment consultant in various mining and oil and gas entities in PNG,” Dr Figa said.
Baia, who is from Bogia in Madang, holds a master’s degree in lands administration and geographical information system technology with 20 years experience in resettlement programmes for landowners in mining and petroleum project areas.
Dr Figa said the mandate of the MRA as per the MRA Act of 2016 was first to identify, acquire and develop an area for the resettlement of displaced Manam islanders.
“The MRA is also mandated to care for and maintain the care centres until the resettlement site is established,” he said.
“The resettlement site must have roads, bridges, schools, health centres, water supply, power supply and all other requirements needed for the purpose of resettling the people.
“As for the care centres and those on Manam and Boisa islands, the main focus of MRA is to maintain the available services.”
Dr Figa said the priority areas at the moment included peace and reconciliation between Manam islanders and local host communities of the care centres.
“We will also focus on building the road from Barit to Raptuk which is towards the resettlement site and establish food security multiplication and distribution centres,” he said.