The newly-opened Bart Philemon Drive is an acknowledgement to one of Morobe’s outstanding national leaders.
Before cutting the ribbon to officially open the four-lane concrete road on Tuesday, the 24th of January, Lae MP John Rosso said the four-term MP and former Finance Minister, Philemon, is also an Ahi landowner from Butibam village.
Rosso further paid tribute to the people of Ahi, thanking them for letting Lae be the provincial capital of Morobe.
“Honourable Governor em tok pinis, bifo taim mi yangpla man yet em bin neimim displa Bart Philemon Drive in honour of one of our most outstanding national leaders and also, man asples stret, man Ahi stret,” said Rosso.
“So acknowledgim ol lain Ahi blo yumi, ol papa blo graun we yumi olgeta sidaun antap lo em.
“Mi Morobe but mi blo bush ya na olgeta lain lo Ahi, mi laik aprishieitim yupla lo displa, em mitla Gavana tok displa road is now, it has been named already but now it has been consolidated and it will be called the Bart Philemon Drive.
“So yumi tok tenk yu lo displa.”
It took two months for contractor, JV PNG Investment, to complete the four-lane concrete road to the tune of K10 million.