PORT MORESBY, (POST COURIER) — Wewak Town Mayor Charles Malenki has signed a letter of intent with the Mayor of Jayapura Benhur Tommy Mano in Indonesia’s West Papua region to cement trade links between the two centres.
This signing will pave the way for Wewak Town in East Sepik Province to commence bilateral activities as stipulated in the letter of intent with Jayapura City that will significantly enhance trade and economic development.
The signing of the letter of intent took place on May 18, 2015 atMano’s office in Jayapura, and was witnessed by East Sepik Province Deputy Governor Ian Samuel, provincial delegates, as well as senior officers from Jayapura’s city administration.
Malenki said the signing of the letter of intent would provide the opportunity for economic development and trade, culture, education, transportation, security and revenue-raising avenues amongst other things. “It was a good trip and we were able to achieve what we set out to do. We will be establishing a sea-link where our provincial-owned vessel MV Papua Barua will be providing shipping services from Madang to Wewak and Vanimo then onwards to Jayapura and back again.
“Our mothers can do their shopping there and local businesses can access other markets, selling our local produce, cash crops and gold,” Malenki said.
After the signing, the East Sepik Provincial Government delegation were given an educational tour to Yotefa inland fish farming, an agriculture rice farming area, visited two technical education institutions and also shown a sago making machine.
The first activity to take place now will be the sponsoring of twenty youths from Wewak Town to attend one of the technical institutions followed by other activities in the near future.
Other trade and business, culture and agriculture and other educational training will take place as soon as administrative arrangements are completed.
A negotiation is currently in progress for a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to be signed between Jayapura and Wewak.
The Wewak town mayor has extended an invitation to his counterpart from Jayapura City,Mano and the Governor of Papua Province Lucas Enembe to visit Wewak sometime in July this year.
