WNB allocates K4.5m to health and education

THE West New Britain provincial government has allocated K4.5 million in the first quarter for the construction, renovation and improvement to health and education services and facilities in the province.
A joint statement released this week by the provincial government and its project office said the allocation was derived from internal revenue generated from investments by the provincial government three years ago with the New Britain Palm Oil Trust.
Governor Peter Humphreys said the trust investments had pinpointed social sectors with health given priority.
He said the province was reaping the benefits of the investments.
He said for the past two years, profits from the investment had allowed his government to intervene meaningfully and effectively in the social sectors for the benefit of the people without eroding the principal investment.
Humphreys said the provincial government was and would be addressing the priority areas of health and education with millions of kina “as the sector sets the background for progress towards a healthy, knowledgeable and productive workforce for the betterment of the province”.
The provincial government project office confirmed K4.5 million had been appropriated towards health centres mostly in the most remote areas of the province.
That included rolling out of Bola, Buvussi and Bialla labour wards in the Talasea open electorate.
Humphreys said provincial internal revenue from the trust was fixed to individual pro­jects and was monitored by the project unit to ensure value for money for the province.
He said dividends from the provincial government shareholding in the New Britain Palm Oil Ltd  and the windfall from supporting the float of the company on the London stock exchange continued to be placed in the social sector in a responsible and accountable manner specified by the trust deed.
He said the trust’s accounts had been audited and kept by the auditor-general.
The provincial government project office confirmed an additional K700,000 was allocated this year under the governor’s provincial services improvement programme  in support of the K4.5 million.