Address city’s growth issues

LAE is the second largest city in PNG, yet, it remains an underdeveloped industrial hub that is yet to see its potential.
I am pointing out some challenges that may trigger some discussion to improve our city.
It is frustrating to be held up in traffic jams because of poor road conditions.
This can be solved by resealing potholes or expanding roads and road junctions.
The delay of the four lane road to the Nadzab Airport makes one wonder whether the road will ever be complete before the next election.
When you come to the banks, sometimes the lines can surround the building or come towards city limits.
The waiting time in banks can take a whole day.
This makes me wonder why more branches and outlets are not built because people want to focus on business.
At the market, the pathway is always crowded with people.
Yet, you see mothers and sellers bearing the heat of the sun to sell their produce while customers slide through the narrow pathway trying to avoid stepping on each other or the food.
Yet, we boast of having variety of fresh vegetables and garden produce from the gardens of Morobe and the Highlands.
In shops, sometimes you see frozen goods, especially protein, showing signs of decaying (darkening).
In some shops, you will hardly find PNG made tinned fish.
It is terrifying.
One might wonder if health or building inspectors ever visit these shops because they are always crowded with no cooling systems or allocated spaces where children can be taken care of.
Allowing shops to pop up everywhere shows a cowboy country where there is no control.
This should stop and constructors should consult appropriate authorities so all stakeholders are catered for.
The province, by landmass, may be the biggest in PNG and is blessed with agricultural produces, logging and mines.
It also has a high number of manufacturing industries.
There are talks of bigger projects such as the Nadzab Airport City, however if existing constraints are not addressed then this may affect the confidence levels of bigger projects.
Thus, it may be appropriate to ignite discussions on way forward.
Other towns and cities may have similar problems.
However, as a Port Moresby resident the past 20 years, I have observed that there is a good relationship between all leaders (church, political, public service, organisations) in the NCD.
This has been a big catalyst to enabling changes in NCD.
Learning from each other, accepting the weaknesses, respecting each other and moving forward in areas of strength could change Lae city.
The business community is a strength which can be involved to address some of these issues.
This city can be transformed to a huge industrial hub for the country.
The parliamentary leaders are passionate about this province and this is a very good start.
If this is channeled through, it can be powerful to move this province and the city to the next level.
These are some of the issues I have noted from my observations.
I feel that Lae can be improved to a better state than it is now.

Alois Pen Nomenda,
West Taraka