Nature Park receives vehicles

Caption: (left - right) Shabaka Gibson, Michelle McGeorge, David Purcell, and Leslie Alu

Caption: Both vehicles presented

By MATTHEW VARI

Wednesday, July 3, 2013 (Midweek Chronicle, PNG)

THE Port Moresby Nature Park had two big reasons to smile yesterday with the delivery of two buses, courtesy of Ela Motors PNG and Esso Highland.

Both vehicles- a 15 seater Toyota Hiace bus will be used by the park for operational purposes. While the 25 seater Hino bus will be used to transport students from schools taking part in the ‘Come Explore with Us’ schools program.

 The program is an initiative of the Park, which aims to educate children about the vast flora and fauna the country has to offer- including native animals that are displayed.

In welcoming those present- Michelle McGeorge, General Manager of Nature Park, spoke highly of the interest of schools in the program.

“Just under 4, 000 school children have participated in our program so far this year, which has been modeled directly off the PNG based curriculum.”

“The aim of the program is to take a more practical approach to learning in a classroom,” she said.

She emphasized the main issue that most schools faced was the lack of transportation when trying to visit the facility.

Hence in consultation with Ela Motors and Esso Highlands the presentation of the vehicles were made possible to ease the burden on school planning visits to the park.

Ela Motors CEO, David Purcell, before handing the keys over, emphasized the importance the company places on supporting education in PNG.

“Children are our future, and they will now have an insight in what the country can deliver in terms of flora and fauna,” he pointed out.

Sentiments that were shared by Esso Highlands representative, Shabaka Gibson.

NCDC (National Capital District Commission) City Manager, Leslie Alu, while admitting the decrease in funding allocated to Nature Park, the Commission was the custodian and major sponsor to the park.

He hailed the organization under the leadership of McGeorge, sourcing out support from the business community.

He announced NCDC’s continued support to the organization by having the excursion bus refill at the Commission’s fuel depot with 50 litres each week.