Samarai Murua District in Milne Bay province will be receiving district materials, machinery and items worth over Five-Million-Kina this weekend.
This will be the district’s first major delivery for this term of parliament after the national elections ended three months ago in July.
It is part of an ongoing program from the last term of parliament for delivery of goods and services in the district.
Samarai Murua Member of Parliament and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Hon. Isi Henry Leonard was on hand to officially launch the release of the loaded barge at the Motukea Wharf in Port Moresby.
The barge is loaded with the district materials and items which are committed for several ongoing projects at the District Centre on Misima Island including wards in surrounding islands.
Some of the items loaded include eight PMV trucks for communities around Misima Island, with the other truck for Kulumudava Community School in Woodlark island to be loaded in the next voyage of the barge.
Other items include eight copra dryers for the corpra farmers to be distributed to copra farmers in Rossel, Sudest and parts of the district with nine bales of copra bags.
“We also have on board Misima Secondary School building materials for the building program. These were supposed to be delivered prior the elections but due to the fast approaching election time, but now it’s been delivered.
“We also have with us on board United church materials for Liak community Ward and also the Pantava community church building. This voyage also includes the Women’s association Business arm, the Misima Guest House generator set for back up power, some water tanks and also materials for maintenance of the Tagula government outpost which needs a complete revamp,” Hon. Leonard said.
He said these were some of the programs that were lined up in the district, indicating that there were more materials to deliver for the district so the barge would make this voyage and return to Port Moresby to load again and deliver the second lot for other programs.
Mr Leonard confirmed that the net worth of the materials and items loaded for this voyage of goods and services to be delivered was over five million kina.
He highlighted the struggles of maritime districts with logistics and transportation being a major challenge but was grateful that the district could charter a huge barge to load as much materials as possible.
Mr Leonard said all these load of items and materials were from the District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) funds with logistics covered as well.
He stressed the need for the government to factor a DSIP component for logistics alone for the most remote districts which continued to be a struggle for many leaders and their people.
Adding that all districts received Ten-Million-Kina DSIP funding but in reality, the most remote districts had more challenges and expenses with logistics either by sea or air costing more compared to districts in urban cities and centres.
He thanked his people of Samarai Murua for their patience and understanding in the delivery of good and services to a challenging maritime district.
Mr Leonard will be travelling to the District to receive the barge at Bwagaoia Station on Misima Island this weekend.