Plan to decentralise

 WEST New Britain is looking at the decentralisation of its vast oil palm industry, Governor Sasindran Muthuvel says.

He said this last Thursday when handing over his province’s K171 million provincial budget to Treasurer Don Polye for approval.

“We want the small people to downstream process their products,” he said.

“We are trying to introduce a small-scale industry for oil palm to be processed by village people.

“Some machines we are using are powered by steam in a rural area. There is no need for diesel or electricity.

“The same concept is being applied to coconut mills.”

Muthuvel said instead of building new infrastructure, they would take stock and improve service delivery by institutional capacity, especially in the districts and rural areas.

“Even with the funds given by the national government, especially in the recurrent budget, we allocate 75% directly to the local level governments, right down to the places where the implementation happens.

“Fifteen percent we allocate to districts and keep 10% at provincial headquarters level.

“We have committed almost K27 million from our trust – New Britain Palm Oil Trust – to attend to infrastructure needs, subject to the board of trustees’ approval.”