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By ALISON ANIS
CURRENT irregularities in the handling of cargoes at main ports and poor
air and road transport services commonly faced in PNG will now become “a
thing of the past” with the introduction of the multi-million kina
transport infrastructure programme.
Yesterday, Minister for Works, Transport and Civil Aviation Don Polye
and Planning and District Development Minister Paul Tiensten joined
Australian High Commissioner Chris Moraitis in launching the Australia-PNG
transport sector support programme (TSSP), which will focus on the
development and maintenance of 16 roads that are of national importance
including key ports and airports around the country.
Roads targeted under the programme includes the Highlands Highway, Magi
and Hiritano in the Central province, Coastal Highway in Madang, East
Sepik and Sandaun, Buluminsky and West Coast road in New Ireland, Kokoda
and Northern Highway in Oro, Koroba Road in Southern Highlands, Ramu in
Madang, Wau in Morobe, Baiyer in Western Highlands, the Sepik Highway in
East Sepik, New Britain in West and East New Britain and the Enga
Highway.
Key ports to be developed and maintained include Lae, Port Moresby,
Rabaul, Kimbe and Wewak while airports and airways systems in Mt Hagen,
Rabaul, Alotau, Goroka, Wewak, Lae and Port Moresby were also mentioned.
A total of K900 million has been made available by the PNG Government
under its 2007 development budget and the 2006 supplementary budget.
And Australia, through AusAID, has earmarked K700 million over the next
four years to support the key infrastructure programmes.
“TSSP will see previous transport infrastructure development projects in
road, maritime and air sectors brought under one umbrella,” Mr Moraitis
said, adding that it would ensure greater efficiency and a more
effective use of the resources.
He said the programme would empower the PNG Government to take a step
forward in the management, upgrade and ongoing maintenance of
infrastructure in all three sectors with planning and implementation
time frame of 10-15 years.
The PNG Government will work together with AusAID through its transport
sector coordination, monitoring and implementation committee to achieve
the outcome of the programme.
Mr Polye thanked the Australian government and commended AusAID for the
initiative and for its ongoing support to PNG, particularly the
transport infrastructure sector.
 
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