Papua Development Progessing: Sasindran Muthuvel

Jakarta, May 6 (Antara) - The Papua New Guinea government said Papua, the Indonesian part of the island has made much heady in development. "Progress made in development in various fields would be good for the welfare of the people of Papua," Sasindran Muthuvel, Governor of West New Britain province of Papua New Guinea, said during his recent visiting to Papua. Sasindrad was quoted as saying by a statement issued by the Indonesian consulate in Vanimo, Papua New Guinea, that the neighboring country wants to expand bilateral relations with Indonesia. The statement received by Antara on Monday said Sasindrad and Amkat Mai, the governor of Sandaun visited Papua from April 26 to 27 to see progress of development in the Indonesian easternmost region and held talks with their Indonesian counterpart Lukas Enembe, the governor of Papua. The two governors of Papua New Guinea also met with local business leaders from the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Indonesian Consul in Vanimo Jahar Gultom, who accompanied the two guests during the visit, said Sasindran, who made his first visit to Papua was impressed by the real condition in the region. Sasindran, also a member of the Parliament of Papua New Guinea said the condition in Papua is not as described by many people, who have been known to have no sympathy with Indonesia in his country. "I have heard a lot about Papua, but coming here I see for myself that Papua has made much progress," he said as quoted by the statement. The two visitors discussed ways to expand trade between Papua and the two provinces of Papua New Guinea Sandaun and West New Britain. Sasindran said he hopes that Kadin of Papua would seek cooperation with counterpart not only in Sandaun, just across the border, but also in his province, West New Britain. He said West New Britain has a population of 300,000 and the province is growing with export commodities including palm oil and fishes. The province has also succeeded in developing its tourism sector and oil processing technology to produce oil products, he said. Papua Governor Lukas Enembe said the visits by Governors Sasindran Muthuvel and Amkat Mai to Jayapura reflected good relations between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. In return Lukas plans to visit Port Moresby, the capital of Papua Nugini and a number of areas in that country. Lukas said he will visit Papua New Gunea at the head of a delegation including members of the Papua People`s Deliberation Council and Papua Legislative Assembly and local business leaders to study expansion of cooperation in various fields.