The people of Lealea village in Central province continue to put to good use the funds allocated to them from the PNG LNG Project, to establishing community projects to benefit them like a new modern multi purpose community hall.
The village officially opened this new community hall yesterday much to the delight of the villagers who will be using this new facility for many years to come.
Lealea village is one of four PNG LNG project impacted villages that continue to benefit from the project and as long as the massive LNG Plant sits on their land, the funds allocated for that will be parked in trust accounts with the Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC), which are then used for community projects delivered to the communities through their landowner company, Gas Resources Plant Limited through a partnership with MRDC.
Speaking at the grand opening of the facility was MRDC Legal Councilor and Company Secretary Mr. Richard Aupai, who represented his Managing Director Mr. Augustine Mano.
Mr. Aupai said this new community hall is just one of many projects delivered to their community through the Community Investment Trust under MRDC.
“Over the last four years Gas Resources Plant has delivered a number of projects throughout the four villages, a total of K17million was spent and for Lealea alone, a total of K5million has been spent so far in areas of education, health, agriculture and transport.”
Mr. Aupai also told the people that this new community hall will greatly serve the people and they should take ownership of it as it is theirs and funded and built from their own landowner funds.
“This project is not just about the money, it’s about providing for the future for the community. Important decisions, events and occasions will take place in this building,” added Mr. Aupai.
Meanwhile, Lealea’s Director on the Gas Resources Plant Board Mr. Dikana Igo, said the new community hall costs about K3million and took 18 months to build replacing the old one that had served the community for more the 50 years.
The new community hall itself has two large meeting rooms, four offices, a kitchen, a first AID room, restroom facilities and a storeroom. Mr. Igo went on to thank the MRDC, ExxonMobil PNG and the contractor Pacific Architecture Consortium, for their support in their community hall project.