The Governor for Madang Province, Ramsey Pariwa, has reaffirmed that 2026 is a year of reset for the next 50 years in Madang under his leadership.
Governor Pariwa reiterated his government’s focus for this year when he visited remote Brahman Catholic mission station situated in Ward 18 of Bundi LLG in Usino-Bundi Gama District on Tuesday, March 3rd where he delivered two cheques worth K20,000 each to both St. Pius Brahman Primary School and Brahman Health Centre respectively.
The financial assistance to the two institutions in the remote mission station was done following commitments by Governor Pariwa made in 2024 when he officiated at a Brahman Rugby League tournament.
Governor Pariwa told a crowd of people, mostly residents of the mission station including teachers, health workers, ancillary staff and local community and leaders that he has not yet fully implemented his programs and priorities in the last and previous years due to administrative impasse and that he would do it this year.
Mr. Pariwa explained that only when the administration is in order and functioning well with all sector directors aligning their annual activity plans to the Madang Provincial Integrated Development Plan 2023-2027, then the province would be completely heading in the right direction.
“I have not yet implemented all my programs and priorities. What I am doing recently to this date is attending to honour my commitments I've made during the impasse since 2023, and as a leader, I'm honouring my commitments,” Mr. Pariwa explained.
He further clarified that in the last three years since he took office, he had to literally fight in the courts to fix issues in the provincial administration and clear out the mess created by the previous regime so that his government would focus on his programs and priorities which are contained in the Madang Provincial Integrated Development Plan 2023-2027.
He further reiterated that for the first time after many years Madang Province has a new and official five-year development plan to set the course for development in the next fifty years.
Meantime, Mr. Pariwa remarked that while he is attending to his commitment and delivering K20,000 or K50,000 financial assistance out of his PSGs to rural institutions in basic services such as education, health and economic activities in the province, certain individuals are criticizing him for hiring helicopters to attend to his people on electoral duties.
He dispelled the critics stating that they must not be in pain, troubled or uneasy when he gets on a chopper and travel out to visit his people in remote places in Madang Province that have not been visited before and are in need of basic services.
“As a leader I have the utmost duty and responsibility to visit all my simple and ordinary people of Madang who are in the remote parts of the province or wherever," he said.
“It’s the people’s money I am using to go out and visit them and find out from them whether they are doing fine or not," he added.
“I am not a person who spends more time in the office at Jomba or Waigani and pretend that everything is fine, I must tell you this,” he added.
“90 per cent of my people are in rural settings and I must go and visit them, even if it means hiring a chopper, I must do it so that I know how my people are doing and getting along in life so that I can arrest and attend to some of their immediate, and perhaps urgent challenges they are facing at hand,” Mr. Pariwa said.
He further clarified that there is administrative component of funds allocated purposely for logistics on electoral visit which he utilizes to get helicopters to travel out to see his people.
"If I don't go on electoral visits and see my people, then how could I know how my people are doing so that I could be able to attend to their immediate needs?" Governor raised a questioned.
"I must remain with my people and walk together with them in big or small ways and in good or bad times, even if it costs us," Governor answered.
There was huge applause from the Brahman community in response to the bold remarks by Governor Pariwa.
Brahman Ward 18 Member, Sokrum Camilus, expressed his gratitude and appreciation at Governor Pariwa for visiting Brahman mission station in Bundi Local Level Government (LLG) for the fifth time.
“You are a very unique Governor who honours your commitments unlike previous governors,” Camilus said.
“You coming today is the fifth and we are so honoured to have a leader who has the heart for his rural people and takes time to come and see us at where we are” he added.
An official with the Teaching Services Commission, Kenneth Kalai, who was invited to travel with Governor’s delegation to Brahman told the crowd that what he observed on Tuesday where two heads of the province, particularly the Governor and his Deputy officiating at the same venue is so unique and history in itself.
The Principal of St. Michael Brahman Catholic Secondary School, John Malangen, representing all the institutions at the station, appreciated the good work Governor Pariwa has done so far in improving the aging infrastructures at the mission station.
“It goes to show that you have the passion to develop Madang Province,” the principal said.
“I’ve been following you secretly on social media and I must admit, I admire your assistance to rural settings greatly," he added.
“With your assistance to the education sector in rural settings, I see there is glimmer of hope for the children of Madang under your servant-leadership into the future,” Mr. Malangen stated.
