Gulf-Morobe h’way work halted: Wereh

The much-mooted Trans-Island Highway linking Gulf to Morobe and eventually Port Moresby to Lae has been put on the backburner until funds become available, Works and Implementation Secretary David Wereh says.
The Madang-Western Highlands link has also stopped because funding from Indian Exim Bank is not yet available, he said.
Work began on the Trans-Island Highway – a project that has been talked about for many years – started back in 2014 but has since lingered to a stop.
The road would make it possible for motorists to travel directly to Lae from Port Moresby through Kerema, Malalaua, Gulf, up to Kaintiba in the hinterland bordering Morobe and Eastern Highlands, and on to Menyamya in Morobe.
It would then join up with the Bulolo Highway on to Lae.
Former Works and Implementation Minister Francis Awesa and Secretary David Wereh told The National in Aug 2014, that work began in March 2014 on the 20km portion from Malalaua to Kaintiba.
It would bring much-needed services to the remote Anga people in the mountains of Gulf, Morobe and Eastern Highlands.
The highway was expected to go through some rough and rugged terrain.
The department viewed the stretch from Malalaua in Gulf to Menyamya in Morobe as the biggest obstacle.
Awesa said K10 million had been allocated in 2014 while more funding would be expected in the 2015 budget.
He said the earliest people could be driving from Lae to Port Moresby was within two years on a pilot track using four-wheel drive vehicles initially.
But Wereh said yesterday that nothing had been done since 2014 because of funding problems.
“We’ve started work on Gulf-Morobe and it’s in progress,” he said.
“Due to funding limitations, cash-flow has slowed us down so we have deferred work.”