O’Neill initiated into Malagan society of NIP

 By FRANKIY KAPIN

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has been initiated into the Malagan society of New Ireland and given the highest title, chief of chiefs of the Kabai tribe.

The ceremony took place at Lamasong village in central New Ireland yesterday at the start of O’Neill’s two-day visit to the province. 

Following the initiation, the prime minister announced in Namatanai that the 60km unsealed section of the Boluminski highway would be sealed from a K10 million allocation. 

Funding of the section from Pintagin to Karu village in Namatanai was allocated in the 2013 national budget. 

O’Neill also committed K1 million to the Namatanai town water supply, K1 million for the town’s electrification project, K1 million for a standby generator and water system for Namatanai hospital and K1 million for the new Tanir and Nasko high schools. 

He also opened the Santamas building in Namatanai town which houses a supermarket, offices and the Bank South Pacific branch. 

The building is a project under the public private partnership programme.

He recommitted his government’s position to work with the provincial government to fulfill priorities of the Alotau Accord.

O’Neill later travelled to Lipek Primary School to open a double classroom and switched on the solar power supply for the Lipek sub health centre in the Susurunga constituency of Namatanai. 

On Sunday, O’Neill presented K100,000 each for infrastructural developments to the Usil and Lasilaba primary schools after opening the agro-water supply system and power supply at Konomatalik in New Hanover. 

The project will cater for the Konomatalik High School and community.