Prime Min- ister, Hon. James Marape, has commended Member for Talasea, Hon. Freddie Kumai, and his district development authority for successfully reporting back to government Talasea’s spending of the budget to the middle of the financial year.

Mr Kumai today, Wednesday 6 November 2024, presented the Talasea Mid- Term Projects Report 2022 – 2024 to Prime Minister Marape and Treasurer, Hon. Ian Ling-Stuckey at the Prime Minister’s Office at Melanesia Haus, Waigani.

The report spells out expenditure and implementation status of the Capital Investment Projects and Programs as captured in the district’s five-year development plan, covering the upgrade of education facilities, health facilities, law & justice facilities, public utilities electricity water supply and sanitation, upgrade of roads and bridges, land development, and capacity building. The report covers years 2022, 2023 and 2024.

PM Marape said he was pleased to see Talasea as the first district to submit its mid-term report while noting that the district is well ahead in its implementation of projects and programs.

“It is pleasing to note that Hon. Kumai – even though a new Member in this new electorate we only formed in 2022 from the split of the former Talasea district into two – is doing very well by making sure money given is properly spent and report is submitted.

“I commend the Member and his DDA for their efforts,” said PM Marape.

The report highlights that in Education, 41 schools (junior high, secondary and early childhood learning) have received classrooms; most of which are complete, with only four at 10 percent completion status. The total money expended on these facilities amount to over K7.8 million and is catered for under the District Services Improvement Program (DSIP). Also, over K1.7 million has been spent on Tertiary Education Student Assistant Scheme for the years 2023 and 2024.

Under Infrastructure in Electrification Rollout, K6.4 million was used to roll out power supply covering over 20 kilometres which are completed. The funding is covered under the Public Investment Program (PIP) and the projects are at Dagi LSS Rural, Walindi Resort to Bitokara, and Bola Junction to Kavugara.

Under roads, which is in partnership with Department of Works & Highways and through Tax Credit Schemes, over K2 million has been spent upgrading nearly 50 kilometres of roads under five projects which are all complete. The road projects are: Liapo to Buluwara upgrade; Garile to Bula sealing; Gula, Kopa, Gavutuvore villages road upgrade; Morokea village road upgrade; and Garu road upgrade.

In the Health sector, five health centres (aid posts and health centres) have all had upgrading work completed totaling K2.3 million.

In the Law & Justice sector, the Talasea 20-men police barracks has been completed at K4 million. Additional police houses have been added at a cost of K370,000 with completion status at 50 percent.

In the Economic sector, the project costs are covered under Talasea DSIP. They include the supply of a million cocoa seedlings at K258,236 through the PNG Cocoa-Coconut Institute; and the supply of cocoa poly bags at K60,000 to Colorpack Ltd which have been delivered. Vakori Agro Crop Farmers also received a K20,000 support for their cocoa project initiative.

Under Transport Infrastructure, funding coming from DSIP, Talasea dump trucks have been purchased at K605,000; fire fighting vehicle at K135,000; community transport services at K185,000; and a ship at K850,000.

Water supply to Liapo Village and Valupai Secondary School totaled K200,000; both projects are complete and catered for through DSIP.

In community development services, under DSIP, two of five markets (including

a fish market) are complete; the rest are at various stages of completion. Altogether, they cost K350,000. Two resource centres are also on their way to full completion; total cost at K117,000. Lucas sawmills have also been bought and delivered to seven villages totaling K357,280. Also under community development services, dinghies have been purchased and delivered to local communities totaling K470,848.

Mr Kumai thanked the Prime Minister for the government’s decision to split Talasea into two districts, which he said, is propelling development and service delivery at a faster rate as resources given are better able to cater to the smaller population in the newly-mapped out district.

“Prime Minister, we are only 36 months old, and we appreciate the level of resource envelope provided to the district annually that continues to fund key priority focus areas under the Strategic Development Plan and the Medium Term Development Plan IV aligned to the district. We envisage continuity of these major impact projects in the 2025 fiscal year,” said Mr Kumai.

The Member for Talasea added he is submitting for Government’s consideration in constructing several impact projects next year 2025. These are Talasea District Hospital (K10 million); the Talasea Ring Road (K10 million); Cocoa Rollout Project of 1 million seedlings (K5 million); and Kimbe Town Streets Sealing (K10 million).