For the first time in many years, the small Buin town area will see a boost in access through roads. This follows a recent upgrade made possible by the Papua New Guinea – Australia partnership.
Members of a community in Buin, including school children, were present on Wednesday to celebrate the completion of the major project to seal the main town roads in Buin, laying the foundation for greater development in the South Bougainville region.
The K11.5 million project to upgrade Buin’s town roads was completed ahead of schedule and within budget.
The newly-sealed roads are engineered to take account of the heavy rainfall in the region and will provide a great boost to the local economy.
Member for South Bougainville Timothy Masiu, while acknowledging the initiative, said the local Buin community is already benefiting from the project.
He added that these new roads and improved drainage have given a tangible lift to the town and will help to drive economic and social development in Southern Bougainville.
For the first time, the health centre has safe and reliable access for residents. The road that passes the Buin Secondary School now has a pedestrian crossing as part of critical road safety improvements.
The long-standing partnership with Australia has delivered several major projects recently, including the resealing of the road from Arawa to Kieta Port and the resealing of Arawa’s town roads.
Australian High Commission Minister Counsellor, Rod Hilton, said the developments in Buin demonstrate Australia’s strong commitment to the transport sector in Bougainville.
“Connecting communities and businesses through safer, more reliable roads is crucial for Buin and the whole region. Quality roads are a real catalyst for growth and central to our partnership.”
(Buin Town roads)