No reason for lack of development, Marape says

By MALUM NALU in Tari

Finance Minister and Tari-Pori MP James Marape, pictured, says more than K5 billion in provincial and district funds have been allocated over the last five years and there is no reason for lack of tangible developments in the country.
Addressing a provincial and district finance managers’  conference in Tari yesterday, he said a classic example of development was the K30 million Hope Institute at Pai in Tari, built on a swamp using funds from his district services improvement programme and which was now  the hub of education and health in the district and Hela.
It is aimed at giving hope to young people, providing better health services for women and urging them to lay down their guns.
“What you see is a combination of DSIP 2014, 2015, 2016,” Marape said.
“What you see consumed 80 per cent of Tari district’s DSIP in the last three allocations.
“Welcome to Pai which is a very significant traditional homeland.
“The construction is partly finished with DSIP for this year not having come in yet.”
Marape said the institute would give a new lease of life to at least 4000 young people from Grades 7 to 12, who had left school for various reasons, and groom them for university and further education.
“A health facility for women and a commercial centre will also be established at Pai,” he said.
“This is an example of DSIP at work.
“Over the last four to five years, we’ve processed K5 billion through our district and provincial treasuries. The question we, as finance officers, must ask is if the money has been put to good use.”
Marape told the finance managers that the work they were doing was the “most-important work for the advancement of the country”.
“Take your responsibilities very seriously,” he said.