Machines for Sepik oil palm estate

By GABRIEL FITO
THE first shipment of machineries for the multi-million kina Turubu oil palm project in East Sepik province, reached the shores of Turubu on Monday.
The K118 million project will cover 121,000ha on the Sepik plains.
The investor is planning 55 major plantations, each having 30,000 oil palm trees, making it possibly the biggest oil palm estate in the country.
Included on the ship that anchored outside the village were 12 bulldozers, a grader and excavator, a log loader, four jinkers, a water truck and five Toyota hilux and land cruiser vehicles.
Turubu local level government president David Kausik said the arrival of the ship with heavy equipment machineries had proved that years of negotiations between the joint venture partners, the Government and the Turubu landowners was not a waste.
Speaking during the signing of the deed of release at the Turubu village to allow machineries to be off loaded at the village, Mr Kausik said “development comes with sacrifices”.
He said the people must be commended for their part in allowing development to take place on their land.
Mr Kausik thanked them for their understanding and perseverance throughout the 15 years of planning and negotiations.
“It was all paper work over the last 15 years … we had 13 public gatherings where the project was discussed with the people.
“After all these hurdles, the ship has now arrived with machineries … its action now,” Mr Kausik said.
Landowner company Limawo Holding Ltd deputy chairman Martin Shukwei urged the people to continue giving the same support to the joint venture partners as the project goes into its implementation stage.
Deputy provincial administrator corporate services Michael Sino, former provincial police boss Leo Kabilo and Chinese investor Joseph Tang of Wewak Agriculture Development Ltd also attended the ceremony.
The ceremony also saw the presentation of K30,000 to three landowner groups from the Turubu bay by Limawo Holdings and WADL as a token of appreciation for allowing the ship to berth and off load machineries. 15 July 2009