Govt’s K100m for Lae roads pending

THE Morobe government has not budgeted for Lae roads this year because of the national government’s promise of a K100 million funding for the infrastructure.
But according to the Lae Chamber of Commerce and Trade weekly newsletter, the promised funding by the national government was still being questioned and proposed road upgrading in many sections of the city could not go ahead as yet.
The provincial government cut all funding for the city roads in its 2011 budget on the understanding that the national government would be funding the restoration of roads, as this was its responsibility.
The business community said the move not to spend any money on road rehabilitation was contradictory to what Governor Luther Wenge had announced this year.
Wenge had said the provincial government would maintain the 2010 allocation of K7 million for next year.
The chamber said, however, that despite commitments by the national government to fund selected roads, the provincial government should continue to fund the maintenance particularly the sections of roads needing urgent repair.
These were in the industrial areas, upgraded by the Australian government more than ten years ago which the chamber said were deteriorating fast and needed repair.