Firm’s presentation clears doubts

By ZACHERY PER
STAKEHOLDERS have praised a presentation of the Geographical Information System (GIS) based mapping of the 40m corridor of the Chimbu section of the Highlands Highway in Kundiawa.
The presentation by principal consultant of Mori Resources, Wera Mori, put to rest confusion among stakeholders on how the mapping had been done.
Several speakers at the gathering at the Mt Wilhelm Hotel in Kundiawa yesterday said if this presentation had been done earlier, there would be no confusion, disagreement, roadblocks and problems that had been experienced.
When Mori Resources started paying claimants within the 40-metre corridor before the festive season last year, they complained that they were confused and demanded an explanation.
A Chimbu provincial delegation was led by deputy provincial administrator Alphones Kee and Robert Uran to Port Moresby to meet with Chief Secretary Manasupe Zuruenouc, Works Minister’s representatives and Works secretary Joel Luma.
Mori made similar presentations that got the delegation to call for similar presentation in Chimbu.
Stakeholders in the province learnt yesterday that Mori Resources was the only firm in the country that used a non-transferable license accessing information from NASA through Pitney Bowes Software Pty Ltd in Sydney, Australia, to collate data regarding structures in the corridor of the Highway.
All data collected through the system is processed and hot-linked to the Works Department’s main server at its head office.
They learnt that the effectiveness of the sophisticated GIS Satellite Mapping System had accurately identified structures and developments within the 40m road throughout the Chimbu section of the highway.
Mori said the system was so accurate and transparent that it could deter manipulation of data, eradicate corruption, promote and advocate transparency and “quarantine the State against future fraudulent dealings with matters associated with road corridor management anywhere in PNG”.
Mori said 857 structures were mapped out within the 40m corridor between Magiro and Waghi bridge section.
He said payments made to structure owners would be based on reports compiled by valuers engaged in the exercises.
Mori Resources mapped and identified the structures and left it the valuers to put a monetary value to them.
He said the new system was developed in Chimbu and had been accepted by the government through the Works Department.
A similar concept was done in the verification of claims in Southern Highlands where Mori, through the Works Department, paid out K9 million recently.
Spokesmen John Kamb, Kagl Herman, Sir Kobale Kale, Bill Giglmai, Henry Tokam and a former lecturer from the University of Technology, Jacob Sinne, commended Mori for the use of the GIS concept to accurately map out the 40m corridor.
A provincial task force will carry out awareness on the concept this week to every stakeholder along the highway before Mori Resources starts with the payment later this week.