Tiensten prepares his people for a new town in Pomio

By ISAAC NICHOLAS
A NEW township is taking shape in Tol in the Pomio district of East New Britain to become the new growth centre in line with national government’s economic corridor concept.
The Tol growth centre is the start of the south coast economic corridor that will open up and connect East and West New Britain provinces.
National Planning Minister Paul Tiensten got the ball rolling when he officiated the ground-breaking ceremony for a multi-million project to start the new township at the weekend.
It will include the construction of water supply, high school and technical college, hospital, police station, Correctional Service facility and market.
He also released plans for the new growth centre which comprises commercial, industrial, residential, public institutions, public utilities and open space allotments.
Tiensten said the new growth centre would be sustained by the oil palm industry with the Tzen Oil Palm plantation already planting 4,000ha of oil palm and targeting another 6,000ha by the end of the year.
He said other investments in the Pomio area included the K700 million for a new cement factory at Jacquinot Bay, a hydro power plant and a bio-diesel plant and new international wharf at Tol.
“Without power, communication and good roads, Pomio has remained at the back-page of development,” he said.
“We have to move from the back-page to the front-page of development.”
Tiensten said Pomio had 80% of the land and the future of East New Britain was in the district.