Achieving selfreliance, health and quality of life in Papua New Guinea’s Western Province communities
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Cassowary Hotel earns PGK 4.8 million
The Cassowary Hotel received its first rental return of 4.8 Million Kina from the Coral Sea Hotels group on the 02nd November.
This payment marks a significant occasion for the proud owners of the hotel, the Community Mine Continuation Agreement (CMCA) people and Women’s Associations through their Trust Investments.
Ok Tedi Development Foundation Executive Manager Corporate Services, Mr Renagi Koiro said the hotel was built at a cost of 35 million kina and was the last approved investment made by the 8 Trust Boards of the CMCA in a chain of investments, comprising ships, to aircraft and real estate with an investment portfolio value in excess of 110 million Kina.
Mr Koiro said: “The purpose of the investments was to increase the 110 million Kina of capital value from a combination of capital and lease payments earned to help sustain the livelihoods of the CMCA people beyond mine closure”
He added that the investment in the Cassowary Hotel has had its fair share of construction challenges but the end result was a magnificent building that has since been professionally managed by Coral Sea Hotels and this payment is a blessing, a first since the Cassowary opened in 2018.
Mr Koiro said: “This payment should be a sign to the investors that a solid return on investment will come, but this is a 20-year lease agreement and it will take a while to deliver the full commercial terms agreed”.
Ok Tedi Development Foundation (OTDF) partnered with Steamships Limited through Coral Sea Hotels and Pacific Palms Property to bring the Cassowary Hotel to the township of Kiunga, Western Province.
“We’ve had a presence in Kiunga and the Western Province for decades through our port services and shipping businesses”, commented Rupert Bray, the Managing Director of Steamships. “The opportunity for our Property and Hotels businesses to partner with the CMCA to build and manage some much-needed hospitality infrastructure for the community is an exciting one that reinforces our commitment to the region”.
The Cassowary Hotel in Kiunga opened its doors in one of the fastest-growing regions in Papua New Guinea and is the Seventh Coral Sea branded hotel in the country, offering 43 rooms including six extended stay apartments.
The Hotel design offers luxuries for business travellers and local companies not previously seen in Kiunga, while providing an international standard of comfort.
The Hotel Manageress Mrs Patricia Ginuni, when presenting the cheque, commented, “We are very excited to partner with the CMCA communities and look forward to providing all our guests the trademark Coral Sea Service when they stay at the Cassowary”. She added that the group also looks forward to the Pnyang project commencing soon as it will bring a lot of business to the hotel and Kiunga in general.
The Trust Investment portfolio is an integral component of the CMCA benefits package, structured to ensure benefits flow to future generations beyond Ok Tedi mine closure. Investments are made in accordance with a Trust Deed, are highly visible in Western Province and have guaranteed returns, with the best possible asset managers.
OTDF manages these Trust Investment funds through a low risk strategy that ensures the protection of capital and drives stable returns for future growth. In 2019 the portfolio continued investing funds earned from the respective investment assets into high yielding inscribed stocks, with a cumulative return in excess of PGK50 million kina after 8 years.
Western Province can be self-sustaining
How often do we eat orchids? More often than we think, because vanilla, the queen of all spices, is the bean of a tropical orchid – Vanilla planifolia.
The rich aroma and iconic flavor are reason enough for vanilla to be the world’s most popular spice, since its introduction to the West in the 16th century.
This month, Ok Tedi Development Foundation hosted a vanilla and cocoa entrepreneur from South America who has the technical knowledge to improve the production and quality of vanilla beans in the Western Province.
Originally from the United States of America (USA) Mr. Gifford Dunlea Laube, has been involved in tropical agriculture for the last 20 years across South America as a consultant and growing his own vanilla and cocoa.
This is his second visit to PNG as part of the Innovative Agro Industry (IAI) agriculture development program in the province.
His visit marks the rollout of the WestAgro Master Plan which was endorsed by the OTDF Board and supported by the Fly River Provincial Government.
He visited cooperative vanilla blocks in Nomad and the few remaining smallholder vines in villages along the Tabubil Kiunga Highway (remnants from the OTML distribution in 2008).
Visiting these farmers to see their blocks has boosted their morale and is inspiring many others to become vanilla farmers again.
Through WestAgro OTDF and IAI can assure farmers that all services, processing and marketing functions will be performed in Kiunga.
He said what he saw was very promising and that Nomad farmers cultivation practices were world class and he was delighted to see the highly sought-after hybrid vanilla species known as ‘Tahitiensis’ being grown.
“I had a great day visiting the community in the Nomad region. I am now confident of filling the Samagos nursery with vanilla cuttings to support small holders allot quicker than originally anticipated”.”
“The techniques and material used to plant vanilla vines determine their growth, while the care given determines the bean size and quality, not to mention mastering pollination and bean curing and drying techniques”, he said.
These are very exciting developments and it is now hoped that smallholder distribution may begin within 12 months as opposed to the 2 years initially expected.
As he explained “the vanilla beans are the product of the world’s only fruit-producing orchid – Vanilla planifolia – and just like their domestic flowering cousins, they require specific growing conditions and plenty of care to propagate.”
Mr. Lube said a tropical climate, like that of its native Central America (Mexico) is vital, fortunately you have this very climate here in the North Fly along with the much sought after Tahitiensis variety.
He said in nature, pollination requires a visit from a melipona bee or long beaked hummingbird, but a discovery made by Edmond Albius in the 19th century, showed that this process could be replicated by hand.
From flower pollination to harvesting and a lengthy curing process, every stage of vanilla bean production needs to be completed by hand, making it an ideal crop for rural family farmers.
MEDIVAC for Women Saves Lives
The Middle Fly Women’s Association Medivac Program and funding is a pioneer program, possibly the first in the country and unique for this group of women to reach out to the people during emergencies in their region. The program is bringing hope to people who are unable to reach a nearby health facility.
Lives are frequently lost during transportation of patients on a dinghy through the winding Fly River up to 10 hours to get to a hospital.
Ms. Agnes Peter of Wangawanga village is a thankful recipient of this program, now reunited with her baby. Agnes was air lifted from Aiambak airstrip to Kiunga to receive immediate treatment for antenatal trauma after delivery.
“We have seen our women folk and children dying from curable disease and we made this bold decision to allocate PGK 100,000 every year to support the medivac program”, said Charlotte Mathews President Middle Fly Women’s Association.
Agnes’ recent medivac was a first for the Association to charter a helicopter to move a patient from Aiambak as there was no other option.
“I applaud the Women leaders wise decision to help the women in their region, for serving with distinction, and touching the lives of many women and children.” Mr Eric Kuman, OTDF Program Services Sustainable Development Manager.
Who We Are
Each executive and board member, team and individual involved with OTDF is an essential part of achieving the goal of allowing the residents of Western Province to have greater choices in mapping out their own direction to live better lives.
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Executive Management
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Board Members
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Our Partners
What We Do
Operating independently of OTML since 2009, we are proud to have 50 full-time staff, 60 part-time staff, and committed volunteers throughout Western Province dedicated to ensuring our objectives and goals are aligned with those of the communities for which we serve.
To date, we have achieved significant outcomes across our investment portfolio and all five pillars of CMCA community development.
Economic Development
From inception as an independent organisation in 2010, OTDF has worked tirelessly with the CMCA communities to establish family and village-based economic and food production options.
Women's & Youth Development
Developing women and youth aspirations following the intensive consultative community engagement in the communities and mine villages.
Infrastructure Development
OTDF continues to focus on infrastructure delivery for communities to gain easier access to regional centres and government services, and to get produce to markets.
Community Health
The OTDF Strategic 5-year plan goal for the Health Sector is the CMCA primary health care service delivery strengthened and in line with the Western Province & National Health Plans.
Community Education
The OTDF Education Sector goals are to improve to quality education services, improve teacher education and training.
Our Communities
Western Province
North Fly District
Middle Fly District
South Fly District
Annual Reports
Our latest Annual Report is a comprehensive report of what OTDF has achieved and defines/outlines our ongoing priorities and goals going forward.
Newsletters
Each month, our OTDF media team creates a PDF newsletter that encapsulates the many activities and achievements by OTDF, partners and communities.
Contact Us
OTDF is committed to cooperation and integration of ideas from our community, therefore, we are always interested in what you have to say.