The opening coincided with the 3 day Immbongu Cultural Show and Independence Celebrations. The opening was attended by Prime Minister Hon. James Marape, Minister for Health Hon. Jelta Wong, Minister for Higher Education and Sports Hon. Wesley Raminai, Member for Goroka Hon. Aye Tambua and my brother Governor for Simbu Hon. Michael Dua and of course the host Governor of SHP, Hon. William Powi.

It was great to witness the diversity of colors and dances from Southern Highlands and performing troupes who came from Western Highlands, Hela, Enga, Jiwaka, Simbu and even the mud men of Asaro Valley, EHP, made an appearance. It was a kaleidoscope of colors blended with PNG national flag made it a breathtaking spectacle.

The opening of the District Community Development Centre was significant and we all welcomed and thanked the Department for Community Development and the Immbongu District for pioneering such a milestone of achievement especially for the women and girls of SHP and everyone in the surrounding community. The Centre will provide services like civil registry, counselling services, child or pikinini protection program and coordination of youth and women development and other similar services. More significantly the Centre has a Safe House to provide refuge for survivors of Gender Based Violence and also will have capacity to implement the national GBV strategy.

This is the first for PNG and as the Co-Chair of the Coalition of Parliamentarians to end GBV and a Member of the Special Parliamentary Committee on GBV, I am very pleased to see and be a part of this development.

Immbongu and Ialibu Pangia Districts are exceptional districts of our country. They are generally peaceful. In the last 30 to 40 years, there has not been any tribal fights or major incidence of violence and crime. They have a culture of respecting the law and justice system and refer minor or any major incidence of violence or crime to the judicial system to resolve.

However, like most part of our country, they still have issues with gender based violence especially domestic violence. Setting up the capacity in the Community Development Centre and rolling out the national GBV strategy will help to make the highlands region more peaceful and lead the way for the rest of our country.

The potential for Immbongu and Ialibu Pangia districts in the SHP are great. Walume station is already shaping up to be a bustling hub being at the junction of Mendi district and Hela Province. It’s also at the cross road to Ialibu and Pangia District and Kagua Erave of Southern Highlands Province and soon with the opening of the road to Kikori, it has the potential to be the economic hub; leveraging the opening of the new access to the seaport at Kikori.

In my speech I encouraged the people to continue to embrace peace, security and respect for each other as this will attract major development and investment. I also encouraged the major retail and wholesale outlets from Port Moresby whom I had taken along with me to invest in Walume and SHP. I thank Jmart, Elisio, CPL Stop & Shop and Papindo representatives for joining my delegation to Walume. I hope some of them or other investors can also start business in that peaceful and beautiful part of our country.

With the Western Pacific University already built in the area, the Community Development Centre being opened up including all the other existing capacities/facilities and others announced by Prime Minister, I am confident Walume and Immbongu is destined for a greater future. They deserve all the attention and development taking place in their province.

This is a lesson for all the other provinces and districts, if we embrace and maintain peace and harmony, have good leadership and a vision, growth and success will follow. Investors will come and everyone will benefits including the nation.