Polye hailed for his commitment

 TREASURER Don Polye has been hailed for his commitment to support the Turubu oil palm project in East Sepik in the 2014 national budget.

Landowner company chairman Aaron Malijiwi said it would be the first time the project would receive financial support from the government since it began in 2005.

“Our request to the national government, through relevant government agencies since 2008, was not successful even though it met all the necessary vetting processes and approvals,” he said.

“But now that the government’s focus is on large-scale investment and development projects.

“Let me, on behalf of the stakeholders of this impact project, thank the government, particularly minister Polye who stood with us to see the importance of the agriculture sector in this country.” Malijiwi said.

The project is a joint venture between landowner company Limawo Holdings Ltd and developer Wewak Agriculture Development Ltd under a private arrangement through the special agriculture business leases (SABLs).

Malijiwi said the project had only received assistance from the East Sepik provincial government through its annual development budget.

He thanked Government Sir Michael Somare and the provincial administration for their support.

A total of 98,542 palm trees are now growing in the first plantation of the proposed 100 plantations while clearance is being done on the second plantation to transplant the first 50,000 new seedlings germinating at the nursery.

Polye assured the landowners of the government’s support when  he visited the project recently.

“I support oil palm, cocoa, cattle and other agriculture projects on Sepik valley towards Enga as we want to create the world’s food basket on Sepik plains in the next 10 to 20 years,” he said.