New highway in govt agenda

By DOROTHY MARK
The Madang-Baiyer Highway is part of the new government’s agenda in the Alotau Accord Two, Middle Ramu MP Jonny Alonk says.
Alonk said the highway that would link the Highlands and Madang through Simbai in his electorate, was first on his government service “shopping list” for Middle Ramu.
Alonk said the highway would link Madang, Sogeram, Forogo and Simbai in Madang to Ruti, Baiyer and Mt Hagen city in Western Highlands.
“The new highway almost reached Jimi River on the Western Highlands side and in Madang it stopped at Ramu River,” he said.
“We just need a bridge over Ramu River to link Madang, Simbai and Western Highlands,” Alonk said.
Coffee and cocoa farmers in the Simbai area would get maximum benefit from the highway by using trucks to transport their cash crops into Madang town.
“Few farmers can afford to charter small aircraft to transport their coffee and cocoa into town to sell and it’s a very expensive exercise,” Alonk said.
“I have been working closely with the PNGDF engineering battalion on that highway and my aim is to see the completion of it before my term as MP ends,” he said.
He said all feeder roads like the one from Ramu River to Josephstaal then to Bogia would be better constructed once the major highway was completed.
“We will have check-points – one at Ramu River and one at Jimi River to control the movement of people,” Alonk said.
Alonk said he would work closely with Governor Peter Yama so that they both were in tune to have the highway completed.
Alonk’s other aim is to build the Middle Ramu district headquarters in the district and he and Yama would need to discuss the location for it.
It is understood the previous governor Jim Kas has chosen Simbai as the location for the new district headquarter.
Alonk thanked the people of Middle Ramu for giving him the mandate to serve them.
He also thanked the other 34 candidates who contested with him.
Alonk urged other Madang MPs in the Opposition to put differences aside and work together to develop Madang.
Alonk and Yama are the only Madang MPs in the Government while Peter Sapia (Rai Coast), Jimmy Uguro (Usino Bundi), Bryan Kramer (Madang), Chris Nangoi (Sumkar) and Robert Naguri (Bogia) are all in the Opposition.