District authority approves K1.5mil for machines

The National National
Roadwork machines arriving in Rabaul for Gazelle in East New Britain. The machines arrived at Rabaul wharf last weekend. – Picture supplied

THE Gazelle development authority has approved K1.5 million for machines that would enable routine and responsive repairs of roads in the district.
A statement from the office of Gazelle MP Jelta Wong said the machines included a grader, a front-end loader, a backhoe and a dump truck that were transported to the district last weekend.
In a recent board meeting, chairman Wong, who is the Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS, said the machines were for routine maintenance of the district, LLG and ward feeder roads to enable people to access services and transport their produce to markets.
Last year, the Department of National Planning gave K1.5 million to Gazelle for road maintenance.
Wong said a submission was made to the board to acquire the machines that would be managed by the Gazelle Business Corporation Ltd, a company owned by the five LLGs and registered last year.
He said the district was empowering wards and LLGs to focus on cash and food crop production.
Wong said the district’s contribution was to provide accessibility and producing primary products that could be transported to markets.