Friday, August 23, 2013

MP Ganim delivers services



  Post Courier

WABAG MP, Robert Sandan Ganim continues to deliver needed services to the remote and the neglected areas in Wabag district, Enga province.
Sirunki Lutheran high and Sirunki Lutheran primary schools received a brand new Lukas Mill wokabaut sawmill valued at around K70,000 last week.
“Sirunki high school is run by the Lutheran Gutnius Church. For 17 years the school has been neglected because the Church thinks the Government should fund it while the Government thinks it’s the Church’s responsibility resulting in the school being left out. All its building infrastructure were left to dilapidation. So I decided to give them this sawmill so that they can cut their own timbers and renovate their buildings, build desks, beds, and do things like that.
“The other reason for their misfortune is that it is situated in the border of the districts of Wabag and Laiagap Porgera, neither of these district administrations had considered them for assistance because each thinks the other will take care of Sirunki resulting in the school being neglected over the years. I have now taken ownership and will place Sirunki under my administration and will continue to assist Sirunki,” said Mr Ganim.
He appealed to the Sirunki landowners to accept development and allow for the school to exist, adding that the Enga Provincial Government had allocated funds for the high school redevelopment but would be reluctant to start work if dispute was at hand.
Sirunki high also received a new 10 seater Toyota Land cruiser valued at around K120,000 from Mr Ganim as well as spray pumps, pesticides, and seeds of potatoes, garlic and onion distributed to the schools.
“This is the first time that any Member of Parliament visited our school and gave us a vehicle and a saw mill. We are very grateful to you Mr Ganim,” a jubilant Headmistress of Sirunki high school Mrs Peam Yakali said.
Mr Ganim also committed a truck for Sirunki farmers to be honoured before the year ends while Tambitanis health centre in Sirunki) will also receive an ambulance and a generator.
The Wabag MP also distributed cheques; K20,000 to the Lutheran Bishop for the Church’s administration and K20,000 each for the high school and the primary school for library books.
 
Work has already begun on the 12 kilometre Sirunki-Mulisos road which Mr Ganim funded at K400,000 under his DSIP grants.
Renowned development author, Robert Chambers wrote in part “isolation (lack of education, remoteness, being out of contact) sustains poverty: services do not reach those who are remote; illiterates cannot read information of economic value, and find it difficult to obtain loans.
“Isolation means lack of contact with political leaders or with legal advice and not knowing what the powerful are doing”. Isolation therefore is a physical cause of poverty for many in PNG.
 
But Sirunki which is situated between the border of Laiagap Porgera district and Wabag district in Enga Province is the very opposite. It is not isolated but situated on a flat stretch along the main highway connecting Enga’s provincial capital, Wabag to the gold rich Porgera in the West. The people are now seeing changes taking place with Ganim as its political leader. For “what the eye does not see, the heart does not grief about”-Old English Proverbs. If only can there be more visits, especially by those in power and control of public resources, rural poverty can be perceived more realistically and by merit given the attention it deserves.
 

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