Government's response to demands from People of Hela Province

Statement by:

Hon. Peter O’Neill (Prime Minister / Ilalibu-Pangia)

Hon. James Marape (Minister for Finance / Tari-Pori)

Hon. Francis Awesa (Minister for Works & Implementation / Imbonggu Open)

Hon. De Kewanu (Vice Minister for Works / Member for Mendi Open)

Hon. William Powi (Governor for Southern Highlands Province) 

Hon. Jeffery Komal (Nipa-Kutubu Open), 

Hon. Francis Potape (Komo-Margarima Open)

Hon. James Lagea (Kagua-Erave Open) 

Hon. Philip Undialu (Koropa-Lake Kopiago)

The elected Leaders from Hela Province and Southern Highlands Province, in the National Parliament, have taken note of the issues raised by the people of Hela Province following the death of the Late Governor, Honourable Anderson Agiru.

We collectively express our desire to see the projects and commitments of the Late Governor to be continued and properly funded by the Government.

Many of these projects are ongoing and the Government has already started implementing these for completion in Hela and the Southern Highlands.

We, the Leaders of the two provinces, including the Prime Minister, will ensure that the projects are completed as was envisaged by the Late Governor.

These are issues that the Late Governor Agiru championed for more than 20 years in the interests of our people.

This includes the equity option in the LNG project for landowners and Provincial Government, which the Late Governor had been working on and will be completed to the satisfaction of all parties as agreed under the Umbrella Benefits Sharing Agreement (UBSA).

The entire two provinces need to work together in a united way in the interests of our people.

We, the Leaders stand in unity in our grief, and appeal to all of our people that we must not use the death of our Late Brother for leverage on these issues.

You have your Government’s commitment, to you and to the legacy of the the Late Governor Agiru, that we will honour his work for the benefit of our people.

Now is the time to pay the respect that he deserves for his long and distinguished service to the Hela and Southern Highlands Provinces.

We are in mourning with our people for the loss of a great Leader of our region and our nation.