Caption: Koiari Special Purpose Authority Chairman
Peter Inara (L), and Koiari LLG President David Ogi (R), presenting cheques to
Foundation GM David Ericho (Center).
Caption: Koiari women showing guests the hardships
they have faced in carrying water to their homes for decades.
By MATTHEW VARI
Sunday, June 22, 2014 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)
AFTER over
50 long years since the Sirinumu Dam was first opened by then Australian Prime
Minister Sir Robert Menzies in 1963- the people of Koiari, who own the water
resource that sustains Port Moresby, will now finally be able to enjoy the
benefits of their resource thanks to the initiative of their leaders and the
Eda Ranu Foundation.
In a small,
symbolic, but emotional ceremony at the Ward 7 village of Beredabu- leaders
from the Koiari Local Level Government (LLG), and the leaders of the landowner
groups, presented a total of K40,000, along with an additional commitment of
K10,000 for a water supply project for five villages in the Koiari area to the
Eda Ranu Foundation.
Commitments
were to go towards the initial works for feasibility studies and other key
aspects to supply safe drinking water to the villages of Kahaitana, Beredabu,
Kailaki, Edobeva, and Boredabu.
In his
address to those present Koiari LLG President David Ogi, expressed the
frustrations of his people at providing such an important resource as water to
close to a million residents in Port Moresby, yet they were suffering without a
safe water supply for decades.
“We know of
the administration issues faced by Eda Ranu, where their policy does not allow
them to go beyond the borders of NCD, however, however it is the Central
Province that feeds the city,” Mr Ogi said.
“We are
grateful that Eda Ranu has established the foundation dedicated to the need of
the affected communities, as in our case all the creeks that supply our
villages have all been contaminated as a result of increased human habitation
upstream.”
He said
that previous plans for water projects had failed in the past due to no proper
planning taking place, adding that with the studies to take place- they were
looking to have a water system that would last well over 20 years.
He also
thanked the Government for its foresight in allocating K500,000 to the his LLG,
saying that the funds were creating a lot of change in his electorate.
Koiari
Special Purpose Authority Chairman and Landowner Representative on the Eda Ranu
Board Peter Inara echoed similar sentiments of frustration, at the same time
calling on the Governor of Central Province Kila Haoda, and Member for
Kairuku-Hiri Peter Isoaimo to support the foundation on a regular basis, as it
would be a vehicle to assist long forgotten people like the Koiaris.
“The water
that comes out from here is from our land- we are not settlers, yet we have been
living like them despite the city growing from our resource,” Inara said.
General Manager
of the Foundation, David Ericho, agreed with them that it was their right to
have access to water- adding that since its establishment in 2013, its focus
was source funding from donors to assist the people that have been impacted by
the water providers operations.
“The
foundation was created to be a vehicle to drive our desires to help the
impacted communities as the law prevented us to do so directly,” Ericho said.
“We will
assist in the little things that the government see as too small, and the money
you have given us will go making sure that you get what you deserve.”
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