Drop national highway plan

I SUPPORT letter writer Jarra Kawage of Kundiawa’s (The National Dec 19) concerns in relation to the trans-national highway.
I am a Highlander and support the concerns shared.
This idea of connecting the Highlands into Port Moresby is narrow-minded.
Even any proposed highway from Lae to Port Moresby.
It is 101 per cent fact that our Highlands brothers are the problem in Port Moresby.
Such problems like ethnic issues, grabbing land from Central people, creating settlements, littering the whole city, and so forth.
Our Highlands people are so tough, cannot be forced out, they fight to the teeth.
Look at suburbs of Morata, Gerehu, 9-14 miles, Kilakila, and other places.
They are the ones who sell beer illegally, sing customs songs and dance in public vehicles for marriage ceremonies like people from Enga.
Port Moresby is the nation’s capital.
All walks of life, international community live in the city.
It is scary for Highlanders to fight with bows and arrows as though they are in their villagers.
It is a shame. NCD Governor Powes Parkop and Central MPs: wake up and stop sleeping.
Parkop, you already have huge ethnic problems in the city.
You will never ever contain the huge influx of people if you support the proposed highway.
Believe me, Highlanders are business-minded people and they will save all the money they can grab and thousands will come to the city. I can tell you: Highlands people can travel eight hours to Lae from Porgera or Tari in odd hours.
They will flock into the city in hours.
Port Moresby will be a city of the past. It will be the dirtiest city in the world if the highway is built and thousands come into the city.
I urge all MPs to refrain from supporting this highway, even any plans for building another highway from Lae to Port Moresby.
Let’s keep our city as it is.
Parkop, you are doing your best to keep the city in good shape.
Now, please keep it that way for as long as we live.
Maybe in 1000 years’ time, when mindset of people has changed, then we can have national highways from all directions coming into Port Moresby.

Simon Yopo
Wabag