By Vasinatta Yama – EMTV News, Mt Hagen
The Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Bruce Davis is in Enga Province for a six-day visit.
Mr Davis is in the Province upon request by Enga Governor, Sir Peter Ipatas. His visit started on Saturday and will end on Thursday, this week.
The Australian High Commissioner, opened the Sand and Bark Art Gallery, visited Sopas Hospital, Enga College of Nursing and a health centre at Ambum district. The projects that he opened were co-funded by the Australian Government.
Mr Davis also opened Monokam Community Health Post in Kombiam-Ambum electorate, one of the four CHP’s in the Province.
The health post is jointly funded by the National Government, Australian Government, and the Asian Development Bank. When the high commissioner took up the post in PNG two and half years ago, Enga was the first Province he visited upon request by Enga Governor.
Sir Peter Ipatas had told Mr Davis, that Enga has missed out on basic services it should receive when Enga was still a district of Western Highlands Province.
This has prompted the Australian High Commissioner to make promise to support Enga’s development in health, education and culture. One of the partners in the Monokam project is Jacob Luke, owner of Mapai Transport.
He used his own money to build roads, water supply and bring electricity to the Monokam area.
Mr Luke said he funded the projects because the Country’s geographical setting is a challenge for development to reach little people.