WNB projects focus on better service delivery

THE Kandrian and Gloucester areas on the southern coast of West New Britain have been neglected for many years, forcing the provincial government
to bring back much needed services, Governor Peter Humphreys said.
In a joint statement released last week, the government and project office confirmed many projects including maternity and labour wards for health centres as well as rebuilding and opening of rundown community health post and aid posts had been undertaken.
Humphreys said many had been completed over the past few years with others being rolled out.
The latest projects were upgraded classroom designs and teachers’ houses to set the standard in the health and education sector in the province.
A focus on the southern coast of the province was needed as many remote areas still needed assistance.
But the funding baskets were not big enough and should be spread out fairly for the province to benefit.
Statements and copies of project titles, sectors and allocations released revealed that while the focus was on the south coast, an additional K700,000 was allocated this year under the governor’s provincial services improvement programme in addition to the K4.5 million to enable the construction, renovation and improvement of health and education services in the province.
This included several community health posts, aid posts and specially designed double classrooms for schools in the Talasea district as well as the recently funded Bola, Buvussi and Bialla labour wards where construction was already under way.
Humphreys said the government was addressing the priority areas of health and education which would be backed fully by the New Britain Palm Oil Ltd (NBPOL) trust.
Under the NBPOL trust, all projects would be monitored by the project unit under the governor’s office to ensure minimal leakage of funds and maximum value for money.
He said the province was reaping the benefits of investment in the trust, which had remained
the cornerstone in the provincial development budget.
In the past two years profits, from the investment had allowed his government to intervene meaningfully and effectively so all people in the province benefitted.