Divisional Commissioner Western Joeli Cawaki
Source: MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
The province of Ba and Gulf Province of Papua New Guinea will formally establish their sister province relationship to further boost economic and social ties.
The two provinces of the Melanesian region will ink the establishment of its formal ties on Friday but a team from the Gulf province is already in the country to discuss ways of co-operation.
Divisional Commissioner Western, Joeli Cawaki said the team from the Gulf province has started talks with the Vanua of Ba on ways the two could be of assistance to each other.
“This is another sign of solidarity between Melanesian countries, especially between Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG),” Mr Cawaki said.
Fiji and PNG are both members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, a regional bloc that has a trade agreement looking into various areas of cooperation, including labour mobility.
“This is not a small thing for us (Fiji) as this relationship will bring prosperity to the two provinces because there are opportunities for our people to work in PNG,” he added.
Mr Cawaki said PNG and Fiji not only share traditional and cultural ties but are developing countries who understand each other’s problem’s in the region.
“This relationship would open another window of opportunity for our (skilled) people who could find jobs in PNG.”
Ba Provincial Council chairman and the turaga na tui Tavua Ratu Jale Bokini welcomed the new chapter in the provinces achievement
“I hope this relationship goes a long way in bringing prosperity for the people of our two provinces,” Ratu Jale said.
The Ba province starts from Korovuto village in Nadi and ends at Korovou village in Tavua including the interior parts of Nadi, Lautoka, Ba and Tavua.
The Gulf province of Papua New Guinea is located on the southern coast with Kerema as its provincial capital.
The 34,500 km province is dominated by mountains, lowland river deltas, and grassland flood plains and has the second-smallest population of all the provinces of Papua New Guinea.