V-Sat link in place for Tekadu communities

SIX communities at Tekadu along the Bulldog track at the border of Morobe and Gulf provinces do not know what development means.
For last 40 years, Payapi, Korama, Anadia, Yenina, Kusuru and Pepero villages of Wau rural LLG in Bulolo district have had no basic services in education or health.
Bulolo MP Sam Basil toured the area of more than 500 people this week to install a V-Sat telephone link and saw for himself that there was little or no service like health, education, communication, airstrip, road, bridges and water supply.
He saw countless elementary to primary school-aged children holding bows and arrows instead of being in classrooms with pencils and books.
Nearly everyone he met was illiterate, been in an under-aged marriage, and had poor family planning and hygiene.
He saw that children were not immunised and there was a huge imbalance in gender equality against women and girls.
According to a village committee member, Noel Marari, many locals suffered and died of various curable illnesses and diseases like asthma and bronchitis, enlarged spleen, diarrhoea, malaria, joint and head aches.
Common deaths were from snakebites or during miscarriages.
Others died after trying to cross the rushing rivers of Yeniwe, Pepero, Iminiyakwe, Pana’aro, Iwika’apanga and Aiyawi.
The only airstrip serviced by North Coast Aviation twice a week to transport betelnut and coffee out to Wau or Gulf, stopped operating in 2000.
“We struggled to cope with so-called modernistion.
“Our survival means nothing to authorities,” he said.
“The suffering and pain we endured, social agonies we encountered without basic Government services is hard to describe by my mere words,” councillor Henry Timothy said.
Mr Basil said: “I am here for you as your servant.
“Your survival out in the virgin forest between Morobe and Gulf provinces and encountering serious odds proves how special you are to me.
“So long as my leadership reigns, I will try my best.”
The Bulolo joint district planning (JDP) delivered a six-line V-Sat telephone system through the DSIP rural communication rollout programme with logistical assistance from Morobe Mining Joint Venture.
Accompanying JDP team to the area was ELC-PNG Mumeng district president Rev Robert Gisungtau with two Wau police and Telikom PNG Ltd technicians.
Mr Basil assured that he would revive the airstrip, conduct quarterly mobile health programmes and have a sawmill to mill timbers to build aid posts, schools, churches and staff and pastor’s houses and donate six coffee pulpers early next year.