O’Neill says Talasea to be split into two districts

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill says Talasea in West New Britain will be split into two districts because of its vast population.
He was in the district last weekend to open a new classroom at Waisisi Primary School, and close the two-week PNG Games in Kimbe.
O’Neill said the government had met with the Boundaries Committee and decided that Talasea would soon become two districts, “given its vast population and land boundaries”.
He also noted the economic growth in the district which is dominated by the oil palm industry.
The only other district in the province is Kandrian-Gloucester.
The MP is Francis Maneke who was originally included in O’Neill’s Cabinet as Minister for Communication and Information Technology.
He had to give up his portfolio to Pangu Pati leader Sam Basil when he and his MPs joined the government coalition after the 2017 general election.
The current population could not be confirmed yesterday but the district is one of only four in the country which has more than 100,000 voters.
Many people from other provinces migrated to West New Britain five decades ago to work in the oil palm plantations and had since settled there.
The migrants from other provinces make up around one-third of the population in West New Britain.