Morobe

The Lae City Authority said these will be temporary road access as work continues on the Butibam Road.

These two street roads are linked to Nathatches Street.

“Concreting work on one lane of the road should be completed by next week and work on the other lane will commence thereafter,” said LCA.

“And this election will not affect or stop any of the projects currently on foot.”

Sealing will commence soon.

The Lae City Authority outlined that work on Lae Secondary and Oak Street roads, with the back of Raumai 18 Supermarket, will commence shortly as contract has already been awarded to R&Sons Construction Limited.

“The deteriorated Lae City roads need more than K250 million to fix all of them,” said the LCA.

“The yearly K3 million DSIP infrastructure component is insufficient but with the support of the national and provincial governments, Lae City has literally seen changes taking place in all sectors.

Among the 78 that nominated for the 11 seats in Morobe were an additional three regional candidates, bringing the total number of regional candidates to 33, compared to only 25 in the 2017 general elections.

Former Bulolo MP, Samson Napo, has now raised his hand to contest the regional seat under the People’s Progress Party.

The 69-year-old, who is from Buang, contested for the Bulolo Open seat in the 2017 elections as an independent candidate.

This figure is a cumulative total from Thursday, May 19^th to Tuesday, May 24^th. Morobe Province had nine electorates until the recent split of Bulolo district, which will see candidates vying for the new Wau-Waria seat.

The Morobe seats in contention for the 2022 national general elections are: Morobe regional, Bulolo, Finschhafen, Huon Gulf, Kabwum, Lae, Markham, Menyamya, Nawaeb, Tewai-Siassi and Wau-Waria.

According to the Morobe Provincial Electoral Commission, Lae district nominations have been quiet and without much fanfare, compared to 2017.

The Lae City Authority said Lae needs the roadworks that are happening, adding that the problem is, while the roads are being improved, the delays lead to frustration.

“This causes some drivers to do dangerous things, like speed where we shouldn’t, or drive on the wrong side of the road or on cement which is curing,” said the LCA.

“We are a walking nation and when drivers speed; go the wrong way down a road or take shortcuts then our pedestrians are at risk.

ENB Provincial Police Commander Chief Inspector Joseph Tabali said the police report stated that the deceased Mathew Yasaking, was allegedly attacked and wounded with a bush knife. Yasaking who resides with his family at Raulava plantation, was in his house when he was approached by the suspect at around 5pm.

PPC Tabali said the disagreement came about after a mediation between the suspect and the deceased regarding money that the deceased got from the suspect. After the mediation the suspect was not happy with the decision and decided to attack the deceased.

Through USAID’s PNG Lukautim Graun Program (LGP) partnership and the micro bank, people living in rural and remote communities like Nasuapum are now receiving access to banking services. Such services have increased opportunities for improved sustainable and renewable livelihood activities and brings the people into the formal financial sector giving them access to a range of MiBank financial services.

Increased access to financial services such as micro and small loans to start businesses is expected to directly reduce pressure on biodiversity and forest habitats.

Provincial police commander, Superintendent Jacob Singura, said they have noted a lot of criminal activities that have been fuelled by alcohol.

“A lot of murder, killings have happened,” he stated.

PPC Singura made this statement after addressing the settlers of Gavman Giraun, in the Wau Rural LLG, who suffered three deaths and damaged properties following a confrontation with another lot of settlers from Mumeng.

Environmental advocate, Jotham Keleino, is attached with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG and has been supporting the church’s campaign against the proposed deep-sea tailings placement method.

Keleino, who has a Bachelor in Science degree, was recently speaking with Morobe tertiary students on the impacts of development, stressing on the need to look at the bigger picture.

He believes that money should not be used as a yardstick; instead, people’s lives and the environment should always be the focus of development.

Route 4 PMV Association chairman, Kopen Vaibang, questioned why the province’s mandated leaders are turning a blind eye to the daily struggles of public transportation.

“Where is the leadership of this province?

“Mi kolim Tutumang blo Morobe, PEC blo Morobe na honourable Ginson Saonu, mi kol lo em lo lukluk na adresim displa issue. Issue blo transport ino nau nau. (I call on Morobe’s Tutumang, provincial executive council and honourable Ginson Saoun, please address this issue.)