Aust, PNG and B’ville partner to build community centres

COMMUNITY members and local leaders from Rau, Wakunai district in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville have celebrated the official opening of a permanent and fully furnished community government building.
Australia is partnering with the Autonomous Government of Bougainville (ABG) and the Papua New Guinea Government in supporting this initiative that will see the roll-out of 19 community buildings across Bougainville.
The Rau community hall is the first to be completed.
It is a 225 square-metre building fully equipped with a kitchenette, a storage room, a disability access ramp, 30 chairs and storage racks, ceiling fans, and a 9,000-litre water tank.
Other locations for these buildings include Baubake, Lenoke, Siwai, Motuna Huyono, Baba, Arawa, Kongara, Ioro, North Nasioi, Kubu, Selau Suir, Tonsu, Peit, Tsitalato, Haku and Halia.
Most of these buildings are nearing completion and three more are in the planning stage.
The community hall provides a space for regular dialogue between men, women and youth to participate in the decision-making processes of their communities.
The buildings are also venues for government agencies and private sector companies to share their services with the members of the communities.
In a ministerial statement to the Bougainville House of Representatives, ABG Community Government Minister Theonila Roka-Matbob said the community meeting spaces were designed principally “to support community governments and wards, providing functional spaces for elected women and men”.
Through the construction works of the community halls and government offices, more than 100 people all around Bougainville gained employment, income and benefited from skills development.