Wobiro: Develop with partners

By LESLIE OMARO in Kiunga
WESTERN Governor Ati Wobiro says the province must work with development partners so that it can be developed.
Wobiro made the remark at the launching of the mv Fly Explorer in Kiunga yesterday.
The mv Fly Explorer is a research vessel bought by the Ok Tedi Development Foundation and will be used mainly for research in the province.
Wobiro, Ok Tedi mining managing director Nigel Parker, and guests were taken on a tour on the vessel yesterday.
He and the guests were then treated to a cruise from Kiunga wharf for an hour downstream on the Fly River and back.
The mv Fly Explorer’s sister ship, mv Fly Hope also ferried other guests down the river and back.
Wobiro thanked Ok Tedi for giving the province another ship.
“I give you my commitment and I will not waste your support,” he said.
“We have signed an understanding with the Papua New Guinea Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP) to work together and share the resources and experience to develop the province.”
He said past Fly provincial governments worked separately because the governor of that day did not want to work with development partners.
“We got the money, come and work with us to develop the province together and we must embrace our developing partners because they are not our enemies,” Wobiro said.
“They (developing partners) are here to help, I’m not interested in playing politics because my heart and mind is to bring genuine substantial development to the province.”
He thanked the Community Mining Continuing Association for working with development partners and encouraged that spirit to grow and continue.
“We must all address the problems together and move with development to see changes,”
he said.