Funding For Pitt Island Barge And Wharf Upgrade
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Jack Elder, has agreed to
contribute $150,000
from his Ministerial Lottery
Discretionary Fund toward upgrading Pitt Island s
wharf
and barge.
Pitt Island, in the Chathams group, will be an
international focus at the
dawning of the new Millennium
and residents are concerned that already
inadequate
facilities will come under further strain by a rush of
visitors, Mr
Elder said.
The wharf and barge, which
form a lifeline for the island, are owned and
operated by
the community. The islanders have been seeking for some time
to
upgrade them.
“Obviously as a small, isolated rural
community, Pitt Island has limited means,"
Mr Elder said.
"However Pitt Islanders will not only provide the balance
of
funding required to complete the $250,000 project, but
will also voluntarily
give of their time and labour to
help carry out much of the upgrading
work.”
ENDS