Kora gets to see deteriorating roads

By FRANK RAI
NAWAEB MP Gisuwat Siniwin of Morobe province was a happy man on Saturday when National Planning Secretary Dr Peter Kora accompanied him to see firsthand the deteriorating road conditions in his electorate.
The visit took the team into the vast hinterlands of Wain-Erap local level government (LLG) area, covering more than 100km of road from the Erap Boys Town turnoff along the Highlands Highway.
Huge crater-like potholes and the muddy road conditions welcomed the delegates when the convoy of four-wheel drive vehicles entered the Wain-Erap area. The worst part of the section, which has been maintained by villagers with no modern tools was the Busu-Baidong road towards the Western end of the Sarawaget Range and the Boana district headquarters. It was obvious that the Baidong road, which serves more than 3,000 people, two aid posts and two primary schools has not seen any road construction equipment for the past 10 years.
The trip ended at Sikilan village where more than 500 people gathered to welcome the Siniwin delegation.
Kora said he would assist the local MP to secure funds for the rural road network. “What has happened to all those funds? “The road conditions are bad and the condition of most of the sections are unbelievable,” Kora told those gathered. The national planning secretary said his visit to that vast remote electorate was to see firsthand the delivery of government services and assist in any way possible. Siniwin praised Kora and said being a MP was the choice of the people but to source funds and bring services was a problem.
“I am lucky as a first-time MP to have the national planning secretary in my electorate.”
At the end of the gathering, Kora gave K3,000 cash to support the Nernasi Coffee Growers Co-operative Society and the village’s women’s group.