New Zealand envoy visits Kokopo to check on projects

NEW ZEALAND High Commissioner Sue Mackwell and her deputy Rachel McCathy visited East New Britain last week.
It was a two-day visit to see some of the New Zealand-funded projects such as the Coupee Centre at Vunapope, Kokopo Main
Market and Nonga General Hospital.
Mackwell’s first visit on Thursday was to Vunapope where she officiated at the opening of the Safe Meri House (Coupee Centre) for women and children along with the Archbishop of Rabaul Francesco Panfilo.
She went to the Kokopo Main Market on Friday where her team, including New Zealand Volunteer Services Abroad (VSA) volunteers based in Kokopo were welcomed by the members of the East New
Britain Market Authority in Kokopo.
They provided great hospitality to the delegates and showed them around the market.
“I am so impressed with how the market is organised with no fences around it,” Mackwell said.
“It shows that the facility does not need security because people are looking after it well.”
Mackwell met more than 20 women selling at the market to get their views on issues they faced.
“Your feedback will be very helpful to us if we were to build a new market in another province.”
Her final visit was at Nonga General Hospital where Mackwell met the board members, doctors and nurses and discussed problems encountered at the hospital.