Put funds in development needs

I SUPPORT and endorse the statement by Andy Hetra, an elite of Hela, who is making some sense about IDG (infrastructure development grants) funds.
When our late governor late Anderson Pawa Agiru negotiated for the benefits to be entered into the UBSA (Umbrella Benefits Sharing Agreement), he purposely asked for 10 years of IDG at K120 million a year so that money would fast track development in provinces affected by the PNG LNG project.
Are the IDGs meant to be paid to landowners by the Government?
Short answer is no.
Some public servants and politicians in Waigani are misleading our landowners.
We have to stop this now.
Are the provincial government’s rightful beneficiaries? Short answer is yes but there is a huge question mark by many.
The Government gives the money to the provincial government and the governor (head of the provincial government), together with his PEC and assembly members, will decide how best the IDG could be used to develop the province.
So far, Hela is in a sad situation and the onus is on us now to make the right move or we will never have a chance to change.
I am also hearing from Hela presidents that they do not have any say in how the provincial government funds are used.
In fact, in a recent newspaper report, deputy governor and Komo LLG president Charles Aluya called on the Government not to release the development levy and IDG to the provincial government.
This is second highest ranking officer in the province, if he and his fellow presidents and the people in Hela do not trust the provincial government that says a lot.
This lack of trust needs to be healed.
I have seen almost K112 million-plus of PNG LNG development levies paid to Hela government so far.
I heard that money was not distributed by the Hela provincial executive council and the assembly. Landowners, especially Komo, Hulia and Hayapuga LLGs, are not seeing any significant projects being launched and funded.
I heard that Koroba-Kopiago MP Petrus Thomas does not anything about it.
If all of these are true, landowners may have a case and a cause for concern.
How about the K47mil IDG held at by the National Court?
What does that National Court consent Court Order about IDG fund say?
I call on Governor Philip Undialu and William Bando, as acting PA, to publicise that Court Order so everyone, including the National Government, can take note.
The list of who got that K47 million and the projects funded must also be made public. It’s our money for the development of our province.
So what is my position on the current IDG funds?
I call on Prime Minister James Marape to fund few impact projects for the province using the current available IDG funds.
Both landowners and provincial government leaders must back off.
Both have poor records and unclean hands.
Marape should direct the relevant authorities to tender projects such as these:

• HELA city: Planning must start now with land mobilisation;
• PROVINCIAL headquarters: Hela 1, 2, and 3. Late Agiru started it and paid K40mil-plus already. Please let Curtain Bros complete those three buildings. These are the memories of the Southern Star;
• FUND 100 high-covenant houses for public servants. Public service machinery is the engine of any province;
• CONVERT Dauli Teachers College into a university and called University of Papua. In that way, millions of students from West Papua can be attracted there too;
• START Komo-Bosavi-Nigurum-Mirauke (West Papua) Highway; and,
• START Kopiago-Aitape highway and we use Aitape wharf instead of Lae. It will take a day to go to Aitape and Vanimo from Tari then several days to Lae.

In conclusion, it’s time we park politics aside and put the course of our province in the right direction.
Our forefathers predicted this time of “haletapas” would come.
This is time no one will listen to anyone for a good cause.
Our people are killing each daily, our political leaders are also fighting each other and our landowners are divided.
This is the perfect time for the Government, headed by a Hela man, to intervene and put Hela back on the right track.

Francis Potape, CSM