I APPRECIATE the gesture taken by Kaskus Kunda, the press officer of the Ministry of Works, Transport and Civil Aviation (Dec 17). The gesture was an effort to enlighten me and the public on issues he may have felt I wasn’t sure of and/or appreciate that relates to the K1.2 billion highway.
As every John Doe, I am enthused by an informative dialogue on this project (in particular) as he (Kunda) stated is a “major impact project for the country”. This process (open dialogue) enables or frees every John Doe of the confusion that usually arises from an obvious lack of available information for public consumption.
The lack of accessible information, in any form, on many developmental projects within this country, has always been an issue.
In saying that, my concern still is (in addition to points that I raised in my earlier letter in The National), we are spending approximately 15% of this year’s budget on the construction of a national road, which is not warranted under present conditions.
Further to this, there isn’t one national road that all forms of Government can be proud of. This is the main point of my argument, given the status, disgracefully inadequate as they are, of all major roads around the country.
I am still to be persuaded on the merits of spending K1.2 billion on an additional “major national highway”, though that figure may be grossly undervalued given the topographic features of this country.
This has been expounded by all and sundry and as such is not essentially “arcane science”. He does incidentally “shoots himself in the foot” by suggesting that this “highway” will complement the existing road network, because there is hardly a “network of road” in this country, worthy of being mentioned.
There is a “possibly” a network of road in Port Moresby, short lived as they (roads) are where obscenely huge sums of money have been spent by every new government.
I do appreciate the gesture, though.

Concerned expat
Via email