We are legislators and project managers as well, says Basil

PAPUA New Guinea politicians are legislators and projects managers – unlike other countries where legislators are simply legislators, Bulolo MP Sam Basil says.
“In other countries members of parliament are supposed to be legislators only unlike PNG where we are both legislators and project managers,” Mr Basil said.
He said this at the University of Technology in Lae on the eve of the 34th Independence anniversary.
He delivered the annual Pukman Katu lecture series.
The annual lecture is in memory of a Morobean civil engineering graduate from Unitech who made a major contribution to education at Unitech as a council member and a member of the community.
Mr Basil was invited as a young politician who is making an impact on the lives of his people and national politics in general.
The Vice-Chancellor of the Unitech Dr Misty Baloiloi described Mr Basil as a young politician “who hit the ground running”.
He said Mr Basil was a man with a new brand of politics in PNG – a man with new vision for politics in PNG.
Dr Baloiloi also acknowledged that Mr Basil was chosen to represent PNG at the inauguration of American president Barack Obama.
Putting both his political and project manager hats on, Mr Basil told Unitech staff and students he had initiated a number of major projects in the Bulolo electorate for his people.
The projects known as programmes included:
* Road maintenance; 
* Rural electrification; 
* Footbridge; 
* Water supply; and 
* Mobile health.
Mr Basil said all local level government councils with road access have been equipped with an ambulance and an agriculture tractor with attachments to help the people.
One isolated LLG – Garaina- has been granted K22 million for road access to connect it with the rest of the electorate.
Mr Basil was questioned about the development of Garaina, especially as the area had its particular brand of organic tea which had become popular in PNG.
The MP said he was committed to ensuring Garaina had a road so its tea and other agricultural produce could be transported to the market.