THE Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Guadalcanal Constituency Ethel Lency is continuing her tireless effort in delivering tangible projects and getting her constituents to work together.
Last weekend, she made her first visit to Kamau Polling Station since her election.
The purpose of the visit on Sunday 25th April 2021 was to give project awareness talks as well as to meet elders and chiefs as well as landowners about the construction of Kamau Bridge. Constituents from Kamau, Kerekoka and Samaria polling stations attended the talks.
She used the opportunity to promote peace and unity with Kamau Community chiefs and elders.
She also delivered cash grants of SBD$20,000 towards the construction of Kamau church building, and another SBD $20,370 to settle the 2021 school fees.
Mrs. Lency also donated ten chairs for the staff room of the Babala Primary School.
A Taskforce Committee consisting of representatives from Kamau and the surrounding villages was appointed following the discussions on the Kamau Bridge. The committee will oversee the daily work on the bridge as well as to liaise with the constituency office and villages.
One of the Kamau village elders, Henry Saea told the meeting the bridge is one of their most important needs since independence.
He said the bridge provides a vital link for transporting goods and services between their villages and Honiara.
Kamau village chiefs and elders also convened a traditional reconciliation ceremony with their MP by giving her traditional shell money and food.
Mrs. Lency and her delegation reciprocated the gesture in kind.
“The purpose of the ceremony is to bring all her constituents in Kamau polling station together and to ensure communal work and cooperation in implementing their projects in their villages including the proposed Kamau Bridge. Village elder Saea spearheaded the reconciliation ceremony on behalf of his community,” a statement issued after the visit said.
Mr. Saea expressed the importance of working together with their MP Mrs. Lency in implementing her constituency plans and projects for their villages to improve their living standards.
Mrs. Lency also assured her constituents to keep up the spirit of cooperation in order to realize their potential as a community within North East Guadalcanal.
Kamau Church Elder Rockson Bulo spoke highly of the cash donation of SBD$20,000 for the church building.
“The funds will support our ongoing work to purchase the much-needed materials to complete the building,” Mr. Bulo said.
He told the gathering of about 500 people that the funding assistance was the first of its kind the church has ever received from the constituency.
Similar sentiments were also expressed by the Babala Primary School Chairman, Francis Bulo, and the Deputy Primary School Principal Billy Rex upon receiving the cash donation of SBD$20,300 for the 2021 school fees.
Mr. Rex said the cash donation by the MP was a great relief for the parents of the school for settling their children’s fees for the 2021 academic year.
He said the funds would assist them in completing some of their long-standing school projects including staff houses and school halls.
In response, Hon Lency pledged her ongoing support towards the Constituency programs and projects.
She told the gathering that the present housing scheme, free education, and poverty alleviation programs, and projects in agriculture for 2021 would continue throughout this year as well as in 2022 and 2023.
She also said her constituency technical team is now finalising her Constituency Development Plan 2021 – 2023 for North East Guadalcanal Constituency. This will be launched soon, she said.
Mrs. Lency’s day visit ended with traditional feasting and a general meeting for the Kamau Bridge construction project convened by the task force committee.
