Polye impressed with Turubu palm oil

By GABRIEL FITO

TREASURER Don Polye has given his thumbs up for the Turubu palm oil project in East Sepik after successfully touring the project site last Friday.

Developed under a private arrangement through the Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL), a total of 98,542 palm oil trees are now growing in the first plantation of the proposed 100 plantations while K20 million has been paid as taxes to the government coffers.

Polye flew in a helicopter over the recently planted plantation with landowner company chairman Aron Malijiwi and landed at the nursery area at Kemange where he was met by a large crowd of company workers and people from surrounding villagers.

Manager of landowner company Limawo Holdings Godfried Raushem gave a brief company report including its appearance at the SABL Commission of Inquiry.

Polye said the people must not be allowed to suffer if the commission report to the government was further delayed.

“I support this project. I support oil palm, cocoa, cattle and all other agriculture projects on this Sepik valley towards Enga because we want to create the world’s food basket on the Sepik plains in the next 10 to 20 years,” Polye told the people.

 “If the people are involved, it’s a good project. I want you to forward me a detailed report on the project and I will discuss with the government caucus.

“But let me assure you that Turubu oil palm, the cocoa project at Marienburg and other projects on the Sepik plain will be given priority in the 2014 national budget.

“I am impressed because you have already planted over 98 000 palms and contributed K20 million in taxes to the government.”

Polye was also in the province on Friday to endorse his Triumph Heritage Empowerment  Party candidate for the Angoram Open by election.