BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
The communities in the highlands of Central Kwara’ae have been commended for their activities towards safeguarding their environment.
Permanent Secretary to the ministry of environment (MECDM) Dr Melchior Mataki uttered his praises on Monday this week during a welcoming ceremony staged for the visiting US Deputy Chief of Mission under US Embassy in Port Moresby, Bernard Link.
Mr Link was welcomed at Gwariagalu village, central Kwara’ae.
Mataki said during a brief visit to forestry programmes in communities in central Kwara’ae, he was delighted to see people engaging in activities that safeguard the environment.
“I’m happy that despite lot of things going on in our country; you people carry on life as it is to involve in lots of activities in the environment you leave that defines life, this is the future.
“After visiting Saenaua forestry and by looking around, you people are doing great and we need that idea to safeguard our resources.
“Because only be safeguarding our resource we can protect ourselves from lot of things as we can go through lot of different issues.
“The environment defines who we are as a people, the air we breathe, the trees that we depend on, the water and other aspects of environment define us as people.
“And I’m encouraged to see all these things during a short trip we made to your communities. I’ve seen believe in safeguarding our environment in the people and the communities through their engagements.
“And I’m happy to see people in this area went into forestry programme and other activities that try to protect the environment,” he said.
Mataki and his colleague PS for MoFR, reps from Sky Ocean and a rep from Tina Hydro project were part of HE Link’s trip to Auki as part of preparations towards the US Scale programme for Malaita province and other US supports for the country.
