Oil Search gives cash to disability centre

OIL Search has given K27,600 to the Cheshire Disability Services it raised from “fun fines”.
Oil Search Ltd executive general manager for PNG  Gerea Aopi said the “fun fines” were administered during two internal company workshops in Kokopo, East New Britain province, recently.He said the fines were issued in a fun way to raise funds for a chosen charity but also to ensure full participation and contribution during the meetings by all participants.The company promised to match kina for kina the amount raised at the two workshops which was K13,800.Aopi said it was the second donation to the Cheshire disability centre, the first of which was in 2011 with a donation of K16,000.He said the difference this year was that the company matched kina for kina the funds raised.In 2010, Oil Search also donated K36,800 to the centre as the rounding off proceeds from the company’s dividend re-investment plan.  “We are proud of our association with the Cheshire disability services, through the purchase of fun run T-shirts to enable them to participate in the annual fun run, supporting the Saturday morning sausage sizzles and direct cash donations,’’ Aopi said.Cheshire disability services general manager Bernard Ayieko said they had no funding from the government and therefore appreciated such contributions. “The company has contributed immensely in supporting the implementation of our Strategic Plan 2011 to 2015 which is aligned to government policies and plans,” Ayieko said.The plan aims to empower people with disabilities and their families to acquire self-care skills, independence in daily living and increase their participation in national development.He said they were overwhelmed by the increasing number of new children with disabilities identified each day, through their community programmes. Last month they identified 160 children with disabilities.