The New Guinea Islands consultation workshop on the MTDP IV formulation began today in Kimbe, West New Britain (WNB) Province.

The Member for Talasea, Hon Francis Maneke was present at the opening. The main stakeholders at the consultations included the WNB Acting Provincial Administrator Leo Mapmani, District Chief Executive Officers, Administrators, Provincial & District Planners, Budget Officers, Directors and senior officers from West New Britain, East New Britain, Manus, New Ireland and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

Mr Maneke thanked the National Government, Minister for National Planning, Rainbo Paita and Department Secretary Koney Samuel for allowing the consultations to be held in Kimbe, West New Britain. He also thanked DNPM for the opportunity for provinces and districts to align their respective plans to the overarching plan of the country.

“This is an opportunity for best practice in governance. We are not only going to do planning alignment, but we must also align ourselves. The political leaders in government and provincial administration must also be aligned so that we can deliver what’s important for our provinces,” Mr Maneke said.

DNPM Deputy Secretary Policy and Planning, Michael Kumung said planning was all about foreseeing the future and realizing that it needs to be designed, mapped out and be properly structured in a way that we prioritise and mobilise our efforts, resources and put everything towards getting us to that state.

“According to the long-term plan, by 2030 Papua New Guinea should be a middle-income country, which means everyday each person should have at least K20 in their pockets; which we are not seeing right now. It is our job to make sure we put certain standards within the benchmark of our development progress. We want to make sure that we achieve this, that’s why the medium term development plans have been culminated out of this long range planning, ” Mr Kumung said.

As the MTDP’s are timed in accordance with the political term cycle of the country, the lifespan of the MTDP III will lapse at the end of this year. Deputy Secretary Kumung said we need to continue from where we have progressed to, hence the importance of the MTDP IV.

“Let me remind you that the MTDP IV will take us to 50 years as a country. Let me ask this question; as we come to 50 years, what will our people celebrate for? Just see your districts, your villages, your islands, and your communities in the capacity you serve in and ask yourself what you have created for your people for them to celebrate? That is the bigger challenge before us,” Mr Kumung said.

He said stakeholders must ensure that basic necessities of development are at the doorsteps of our people for them to have access. He said this kind of deliberate intervention needs to be factored into the plans of provinces and districts. The plans of provinces and districts need to reflect the needs of the respective areas. The proposed theme of the MTDP IV is “Learn the Lessons and Do Things Differently.”

MTDP IV Consultations have already been held in the Highlands and the Momase Regions. Next week the consultation workshops will be held in Port Moresby for the Southern Region and for the National Government Agencies and other stakeholders.

Ends…///

𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:

𝑀𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑒𝑙 𝐾𝑢𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑔 - 𝐷𝑁𝑃𝑀 𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑢𝑡𝑦 𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑃𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝐻𝑜𝑛 𝐹𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑠 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑘𝑒 - 𝑇𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑎 𝑀𝑃, 𝑊𝑁𝐵 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃𝐴 𝐿𝑒𝑜 𝑀𝑎𝑝𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑖, 𝑀𝑒𝑙𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑜𝑟 𝐵𝑎𝑏𝑜 - 𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑢𝑡𝑦 𝐷𝐴 𝑇𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑎