With the largest maritime space of 80% in the province, the people of Samarai- Murua District in the Milne Bay Province will soon benefit from the recent launching of the fishing vessel Kekeisi-1, that’s set to sail the waters of the province in the coming weeks. With the aim to turn local fishermen to business owners, the member for Samarai Murua, Isi Henry Leonard wants to activity involve unemployed people, especially the mothers and youths to get into the fishing SME space in the district. He said, the four (4) LLG’s in the district are very remote and with the fishing vessel ‘Kekeisi-1’ set to sail the waters in the coming weeks, local fishermen will be able to sell their catch to Kekeisi-1, which will then be exported to Thailand to sell. “Our plan is to produce and export seafood and fishery products out of Samarai Murua and Milne Bay to international markets. I believe this is possible and we are confident with the level of support that we are receiving from the National Fisheries Authority.” He said, NFA is supporting and assisting this project, and their fishing license has been granted to operate commercial fishery in the district. “My DDA has established a partnership arrangement between a Samarai Murua District local private company and Thailand investor to undertake commercial fishing program to support our local fishermen and women,” said Leonard. Leonard stated that the ‘Kekeisi-1’ fishing vessel is a factory vessel that has everything from freezers, ice-making machine, sorting section to packaging and frozen to be exported to Thailand. “I want my people to be businessmen and women. And by the end of the day, I believe my people will be millionaires.” He added that they will set up buying points in the four LLG’s for local fishermen to go and sell their catch to Kekeisi-1.