Stay out of shipping operations: Official

 By PISAI GUMAR
THE five Morobe politicians who had initiated the province’s new shipping entity have been told to stay away from its operations.
Morobe Coastal Shipping Services (MCSS) manager Namon Mawason said on Wednesday: “Politicians, please stay away from MCSS management matters and let me administer your company.”
Mawason made the request when presenting to Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch the audited financial report of the first K5 million allocated last year from a K10 million Government pledge to MCSS.
“I am accountable for the Government funding and it is appropriate to present this audited report to Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch,” Mawason said.
Pruaitch promised to disburse the second K2 million installment to MCSS next week when launching the company’s latest acquisition, the mv Morobe Rainforest II, in Lae on Wednesday.
The shipping company, established in 2014 following the demise of the Lutheran Shipping, is owned by the Tewae-Siassi, Finschhafen, Nawaeb, Kabwum and Huon Gulf districts of Morobe.
Mawason said the company directors were the chief executive officers of the five districts.
MCSS owns a working barge, mv Lady Zeming, and two passenger vessels, mv Morobe Rainforest II and mv Gejamsao.
Tewae-Siassi MP Mao Zeming told The National at Gassam, Umboi Island, early this year that another passenger boat would  be added to the fleet, extending services to the isolated areas of Saidor and Long Island in Raicoast, Madang.
Meanwhile, Pruaitch also presented a K2 million installment of the total K4 million from the Government to Huon Gulf MP Ross Seymour for a new district headquarters complex at Nadzab.
The complex will cost K8 million and the district has invested K1 million for ground work which has already begun.
Governor Kelly Naru pledged K2 million during the ground-breaking ceremony last year.