Teine firmly believes in environment conservation

By ZACHERY PER
T EINE Sogan loves to be surrounded by flowers, shrubs, flora and fauna.
He plants a lot of them around his home in Kumokagie village just outside Kudiawa town in Chimbu.
“God created plants, animals, the sea and water before He created man. It means that God created the environment before man. The ecosystem was there before man.”
Sogan is from the Okondiea clan, Kamaneku tribe in the Kundiawa-Gembogl district. He is the second eldest in a family of six born to parents Degave and Teine Gagine.
He lives with his family in Kumokagie village.He reached Grade Six in 1974 at the Gon Primary School but could not continue to Grade Seven at the Kerowagi High School because his parents could not afford to pay the K70 school fee. He had no choice but to return home.
He got himself involved in civil society work where he learnt many things such as caring for the environment.
Teine, who served as a deputy governor of Chimbu from 2012 to 2017 under Governor Father John Garia, has therefore thrown his weight behind any move to conserve the environment. He was among those celebrating World Environment Day recently in Chimbu.
He believes that Chimbu’s geographical layout and terrain makes it hard for the people to pursue economic activities in agriculture and resource development.
But the province is richly blessed in diverse flora and fauna which he believes must be protected for the sake of future generations.
He thanks the Minister for Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Wera Mori, and United Nations agencies for choosing Chimbu to hold the celebrations.
“The occasion is a milestone for Chimbu because the United Nations declaration on ecosystem restoration0 programmes will be in Gembogl. This is an international recognition of Chimbu.”
He thanks countries which are members of the global coalition of rainforest nations for appointing one of Chimbu’s sons Mori as chairman of the coalition.
“The confidence and trust in (Chuave MP) Mori is a morale booster.”
Teine hopes that the people of Chimbu will take advantage of this recognition and avoid destroying ecosystems by polluting the water and burning vegetation and grasslands.
“It is important to look after environment. When we destroy nature, we are harming ourselves more than the environment.
“When we set fire to bushes and grassland, we kill animals and insects which live there and play their special roles in maintaining the environment. We are destroying the environment and ourselves too.
“I support the programmes and events being staged around the world including PNG and Chimbu to celebrate World Environment Day.”
His advice to the people especially the young ones is to conserve the environment which God provides to benefit the people and all living things he created.
“Sadly today young people do not care about their environment.”
Even the Bible (Leviticus 25:23-24) reminds us: “The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.”