City road works stalled

   By ELLEN TIAMU

THERE is concern that while four companies took delivery of cheques to start work on roads at various locations in Lae city there is still no sign of work. 

The four contractors to cement the roads and received their cheques at the Lae International Hotel on Dec 27 were R & Sons Construction, Shorncliffe PNG Ltd, FTM Construction and Cameron Construction Ltd.

R & Sons Construction will upgrade the 1.4km between the Bugandi junction and Snack Bar at a cost of about K9 million while Shorncliffe PNG Ltd will commence work on the 1.2km stretch between the Angau roundabout to Tusa Medical center, including 12th Street at a cost of K9.8 million.

FTM Construction was awarded K9.1 million for the 1.1km upgrading work from Milfordhaven to Huon Road and onto Markham Junction while Cameron Construction Ltd received K9.8 million for the 1.3km stretch between Coronation Drive, Central Bus Stop and 6th, 8th and 9th streets.

Wenge said that since receipt of their cheques three weeks ago, there has been no sign of work on any of the designated roads.

He said this was a good time to begin work as the wet weather had not set in and Lae City had been enjoying lots of sunshine in the past weeks.

Meanwhile, the construction companies say there had been a holdup because they had to get specifications right and had to carry out resurveying.

Shorncliffe PNG Ltd said it would begin work on the Top Town section by the end of the month as soon as consultants were satisfied with all requirements.  

R & Sons Construction project superintendent Logan Olapi said work should begin today and that they were awaiting the conclusion of meetings with consultants. 

Cameron Construction Ltd said they had to resurvey and had since found out that engineers had originally indicated the width of the road as 8 metres when both sides of the road was about 18 metres.  

The fact that there were no engineering designs – only cross-sections – of the Lae roads, poses a further setback and with their expert on concrete paving arriving from Australia, work should progress at a faster rate.

Cameron Construction spokesman John Dransfield, said work had actually begun but because the main town area was very busy, they “have to be careful not to disrupt business and traffic too much as yet”.