SEEING is believing and that is what the people of Gumine district in Simbu Province have been waiting in anticipation to witness the opening of one of its modern district office. A first of it's kind since independence in Simbu Province.

But success does not comes on a golden plate. It is the result of sheer hard work and perseverance battling through discouragement to produce positive outcome. Being optimistic rather than pessimistic in seeing the good in the bad has been the attribute of the minds behind this construction building.

That is what Smart Builders has toiled from bad weather to logistics and transportation nightmare to produce a result that will forever endowed into Gumine, Simbu political history in years to come.

A remarkable building set right in the center of the district with many stories to foretell to the generation to come. 

Its a master piece architectural design that will Unified all the tribes of Gumine in Simbu Province. 

The Mians, Saa, Golins, Dom, Yuri and Era who makes up Gumine district will all find their identity in that building that has stood the test of time to stand as a beacon of Hope in the mist of adversity.

Indeed the building will even solidifies the leadership and Legacy of incumbent Member for Gumine and former State Minister Honourable Nick Kuman.

A three term Member of Parliament and a senior politician from Simbu, Nick Kuman has puzzle development together in this rugged terrain district that seems impossible to deliver development services but the desire to make it happen has proven all critics wrong. 

According to Smart Builders  management who speaks on anonymity said the district office has started in 2020 and is about to be completed and expected to be open by Prime Minister James Marape this year in February. 

"The two story office duplex was funded at the cost of K3million by the Gumine District Development Authority (DDA)."

"It has more than 20 office room and a conference center." 

"It will host the Office of the Member, District Administrator, Treasury office, District Police Station Commander and other senior district administration officials.

"Once officially open, all the district public servant employees will have a new office to work in rather than deliberately doing nothing or operating in the Provincial head quarters of Kundiawa. "

"The greatest challenge was actually facilitating and delivering the materials to the district from as far as Mt.Hagen, Goroka and Lae."

"Logistics of the project has consumed almost half of the funding. Due to the isolated location of the area,with the transportation part of it."

"But as the saying goes, where there's a will there's a way. The weather, bad road conditions, and interference did not hinder us from delivering this project.

"We have improvised a delivery strategies that included using even the local transport available too in a way to supporting our local transport operators."

"There were instances where local communities even assisted to carry the materials to the projects site due to the poor conditions of the road."

"Everyone have participated and taken ownership to get this state of the art office project into completion"

"On behalf of the Smart Construction Company I would like to thank everyone who have given a hand towards this project."

"I aslo thank and acknowledged our Honourable Member for Gumine Nick Kuman, his DDA members for the fundings, project Engineers, Architectural teams, and Lae Builders who have tirelessly contributed immensely to give the people of Gumine the pride " The Beacon of Hope" of a modern office duplex in Gumine district." He said

"On this token, I must also thank the people of Dom, Era, Sasmalin and Golin for your corporation to allow the free flow of the materials to the district."

"God has protected us and given peace to our people who were actually intended to disrupt the progress of the project but we managed to get through. "

"That proves and shows maturity understanding of the people in Gumine when it comes to politics."

"There are serious for positive changes in the district in terms of infrastructure development and that has been the company priority to ensure the project is delivered on time as per budget appropriated and we are pleased we have achieved that."

" Now the employees of the company which is a locally own are putting the final touches to it in preparation for the grand opening by our Prime Minister James Marape and local Member Nick Kuman. "

The new office is indeed a first of it's kind in Simbu Province. With many districts operating in Simbu capital Kundiawa, Gumine public servant are now given a great moral boost to work in a comfortable office to serve the people better.

Gumine District Administrator Mr. Dian Kil said the office itself is a catalyst of change for the people of Gumine initiated by local Member Nick Kuman and delivered on time by Smart Builders.

"This new office will be the pride of the people of Gumine in years. Putting politics aside, this is real impact change that we have been dreaming for years and now it's no longer a dream. We have seen it." He said

"We must now change our attitudes and believe in the leadership behind the many changes happening now in Gumine."

"The office has  uplifted the physical status of the district in terms of the infrastructure development as well as boosting the moral of our public servants." 

" As a District Chief Executive Officer, I am very proud and must thank our Honourable Member Nick Kuman and Smart Builders for this great initiative. "

Ideas, dreams and policies do translate to change. That is the case for Gumine district now. By utilising what it has on hand to bring development rather than waiting for other sources. 

Gumine district has bathered a ferocious political cul-de-sac that resulted in the damages of many properties and even  loss of lives during the declaration of Nick Kuman as the Member of Parliament in 2017 National General Election. 

But that was settle in court of disputed returns as Mr. Kuman now refocuses his attention on continuing to deliver better services to the people of Gumine. 

Mr. Kuman is serving his third term in office. He was a state Minister in the previous PNC led Peter O'Neill Government as Minister for Education and in the Pangu Party led James Marape Government as Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology until the recent impasse in November 2020 that he was decommissioned. 

However he remains with the current Pangu Party led Government by Prime Minister James Marape. 

Meanwhile Smart Builders is a locally owned construction company that has already delivered several projects. 

The company management said, they are ready to do  any buildings from office duplex to dormitories, staff houses,  schools, and health centers infrastructure in any districts in Papua New Guinea. 

By Paul Maima