GOVERNOR RUFINA TO BE THE FIRST CENTRAL GOVERNOR TO WALK KOKODA TRACK

By Vonu LIBITINO

THE Central Province Governor Rufina Peter will be doing something in the next few days, that no other Governor has done; walking the Kokoda Track.

She made this known when launching the Central Provincial Government’s Annual Corporate Charity Fundraising Events today at the Central Provincial Government Headquarters in Konedobu Port Moresby.

She says these charity fundraising events will have various themes as they go along however this year’s theme is “Legacy Tracks.”

The Madam Governor explained her motivations for taking on the challenge of walking the Kokoda Track and later this year, the Kapakapa /Ghost Mountain Track.

“I will be tracking the two renowned tracks in the Central Province; 1. The Kokoda Track and 2. The Ghost Mountain/Kapakapa Tracks.”

Madam Governor is scheduled to start trekking Kokoda on the 15th of July and will round off at Owers Corner on the 21st/22nd of July, 2024.

“As I walk the Kokoda Track, I want to experience what it was like, for our infantry soldiers and carriers.

I also want to pay tribute to the men and women during the war… and to the wartime heroes of Australia, New Zealand… and Japan.”

Governor Rufina says her other reason is aligned with the Central Provincial Government’s Border Initiative Program and as a responsible Government, she said they must build basic infrastructure and locate public servants in these remote, isolated, and geographically challenging areas, to deliver Government Services, in partnership with churches and development partners.

“I also want to see first-hand, the conditions our people living along the track and see where we can assist, in terms of infrastructure or other need areas.

I will also need to councilors of Mt Koiari and others along the track and hear their aspirations, their experiences, and their challenges as leaders of people along the track.

And obviously, I want to hear what are their priorities in their ward development plans and so as we identify from seeing, we also identify priorities and emerging priority areas.”

She said what is most important in this undertaking is that in the Central Province 5-Year Development Plan, Tourism was signaled as a key driver for economic growth and prosperity, and seeing that the Kokoda Track is the province’s most important tourism product, Madam Governor said is important for her to undertake this challenge to see firsthand how to develop Kokoda.

Additionally, Governor Rufina said walking the Kokoda Track will be her way of providing political leadership and oversight to the people that she represents on the floor of parliament.

The Annual Corporate Charity Fundraising Events will be rounded off with a corporate dinner that will be hosted at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby, on the 27th of July, from 6 pm – 11 pm, where the Madam Governor expects to share her Kokoda Track experience with the attendees.