Roads

She informed the House the extent of the floods that had caused widespread damages to food gardens and vital infrastructure and urged the Government for relief assistance.

 “Since February and March of this year, the province has experienced bad weather and from May 29 to 31^st, we had experienced three days of torrential rainfall that resulted in flash flooding, that affected a lot of people almost more than one-third of the population of Central Province.

Minister Tom thanked the government for making the Connect PNG programme, one of its flagship programmes.

Dr Tom said, “To provide a fair platform on which services can be distributed equitably, I think road access provides that fair platform. It’s quite difficult for us to give services to people who are landlocked, to give services to people who are living out in the out-lying islands; it’s quite difficult without proper form of communication, proper access.”

Minister for Works and Highways, Solan Mirisim, when giving his Ministerial Statement in parliament on yesterday, said roads facilitate development of much of the natural resources as well as development and movement of major cash crops in the country.

He said in recognition of this, the key economic growth goal of the Medium-term Development Plan III (MTDPIII) is to “improve infrastructure with sustainable and disaster resilient quality to provide more enabling environment for growth of the economy and for the improvement of service delivery.”

Another K460 million per year is needed on road traffic accidents, delay costs and wear and tear costs borne by the vehicle operators and road users around.

Minister for Works and Highways, Solan Mirisim, when delivering his Ministerial Statement in parliament yesterday, said as a result of the underdeveloped and run-down condition of the country's road network, decreased road accessibility is a bottleneck to government's aspirations to diversify and grow the economy to K200 billion mark in the next 10 years.

However, the benefits of the project are expected to be far-reaching, with improved access to markets, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions.

Minister for Health & HIV/AIDS and MP for Wabag Dr Lino Tom is committed in connecting and improving the transportation system between the two provinces.

The latest development in the project is the completion of the temporary Siwi Bridge, which will allow for easier access to the other side of the highway which is under construction.

He told the engineers in a training workshop on Tuesday held at Tuna Bay Resort in Port Moresby.

He also reminded them about a saying in rural parts of Papua New Guinea that “you give me the road and forget about me, I will look after myself” that the Department wanted to create and impart.

Maintenance on the five kilometre road has been ongoing for well over a year with many people already raising concerns and queries about its completion.

Former Works Manager and Civil Engineer, Daniel Muturam, is a long- time resident of Madang town. He says the Department of Works and Highways has a lot of questions to answer regarding the current work on the road, which he describes as sub-standard.

This now concludes the first phase of the Miles main street road upgrade starting from Two-Mile through Three-Mile, and now Four-Mile.

Lae MP and Deputy Prime Minister, John Rosso, said the second stage of the remaining street roads in these suburbs will begin soon.

The Two-Mile, Three-Mile and Four-Mile suburbs had sealed roads with streetlights in the 1970s and 1980s when, as children, we would walk on these roads safely and peacefully,” Rosso said.

He was responding to questions raised by Member for Rabaul, Dr. Allan Marat, who asked if there is information provided by the Works Department on the allocation of roads.

Minister Nali clarified that roads connecting local level government areas within the districts come under the district, while the main highways come under the national road plan.

Minister Nali also called on all MPs to utilize their funds properly and fix their roads as per the allocation.

The NCD City Manager Bernard Kipit says three out of six major road projects will be completed well before the end of August.

Ela Beach is the first major project to be completed on schedule, due to be opened to traffic by the end of July.

That will be followed by Stanley Esplanade in town and Independence Drive in Waigani, both due to be opened for traffic by the end of August.

The rehabilitation of the Freeway, Independence Drive and the Wards Road roundabouts will be completed by the end of October.