It
is now time for the people of Central Province to use their democratic
right to make a choice on who should be their Governor.
So
many candidates are on the campaign trail.
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| Robert Agarobe meets people at Yule Island, Kairuku District |
As
for me, my campaign has taken place in the last five years and today, my team
and I are having meet and greets with people to explain to them about what we
have done so far.
“They
will not be doing a campaign but awareness,” Hon Robert Agarobe told over one
hundred Central women who gathered to see video news clip reports about few of his achievements in passing
legislations.
“It’s
about making you aware of a lot of things you are not aware off.”
He
told the women if they thought they knew politics they would by lying just like
himself.
He
admitted he picked up after two years in Parliament and made bold decisions to
ensure Central Province benefits.
“Being
an aircraft engineer I am a fast learner,” he said this assisted him to quickly see how politics worked and he became part
of the government that overthrew PNC and for the first time Central Province is
recognized.
“I
fought a battle behind the scenes,” Agarobe said.
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| Robert Agarobe MP |
The
women gathered to watch some of his achievements in making legislative changes
that will essentially support development progress for the province in the
longer term.
These
are like the nuts and bolts his team and has put together and soon other parts
will make it complete and Central will prosper.
Agarobe
said he was impressed by the reaction from these women who saw the TV news
clips and cheered and gave an applause.
I
invite my people of Central to see our achievements without a biased view.
An
important legislation that we have amended and passed is the NCDC 2001
Amendment Bill.
We
will now have access to 10 percent of GST generated in Port Moresby paid directly
to us by the Internal Revenue Commission amounting to K3.2 million every month.
What
does that mean, we will have more revenue to increase the size of our budget
and respond to our sector development needs.
Aside
from that and empowered by the Act, I as your Governor will sit on the NCDC
board.
This
was never realized before.
The
women were also made aware that the Lands Department has also given the land title for
the land at Konedobu to the Central Provincial Government.
Important
to note, I have decided that our headquarters will be built on the Konedobu
land with few other important infrastructure like lecture theatres for
teaching, learning and preserving our history and heritage.
You
may wonder why I changed my mind not to build at Bautama.
Basically
this is strategic.
Encroachers
are land grabbing our land and denying us the rights to legitimate benefits on
our Central land that Port Moresby is built on, and if we moved to Bautama, it
means we have been defeated and kicked out of our Central land.
We
must build on our land in Port Moresby and make a statement that Port Moresby
is still ours.
“I
talk a lot about our land and history and I sound like a broken CD,”
Agarobe said.
The
national government has pledged to support infrastructure development at
Konedobu.
The
women were also made aware that another important development progress the
Pangu led government has supported Central is the establishment of the Provincial Health Authority and the subsequent launch of a provincial hospital to
be built at Bautama.
It
will be to the tune of K700 million and expected to be completed in 2025.
The development will be the hospital and a commercial hub.
That
is a huge milestone again supported by Prime Minister James Marape’s government
and I had to be vocal to have the hospital built at Bautama rather than at Gerehu in NCD.
People
with vested interests have wanted it to be constructed at Gerehu.
Once
that 330-beds hospital with specialist health care services are in operation
our people will be so relieved.
We
will ensure the services are sustained and there is high quality service delivered.
They
do not need to queue at the Port Moresby General Hospital.
Agarobe
told the women, being an aircraft engineer he was about sustaining projects and
infrastructure.
“It’s
about building and sustaining it and for us to do that we need money,” he said.
The
latest legislative changes aim to grow the economy so there enough money to
respond to basic needs and build enabling infrastructure.
