Villagers receive new dinghy

By GLORIA BAUAI
BOAC village in Nawaeb’s Labuta local level government (LLG) which is only accessible by sea received a dinghy with a 75 horse-power engine from former MP Kennedy Wenge.
The boat was bought before the general election from Wenge’s discretionary funds and was presented last week by Ela Motors.
Wenge delivered the boat and motor, worth K40,000, to local boat operator William Gabriel with strict instructions to register and insure the boat and follow all maritime rules on small crafts.
He said the boat would be used to transport Boac’s produce such as cocoa, coffee, copra and sea food, and assist health, education and policing services in the LLG.
He said Gabriel would operate the boat as a small-to-medium enterprise, but it would also be on standby to assist the Boac community.
According to Gabriel, Boac was more than an hour’s boat ride out of Lae and cost travellers K50 one way.
“Having transport available for the community is a burden lifted off us,” he said.
Wenge said there were still some outstanding projects which he hoped to formally handover to new MP Theo Pelgen.