Kumalu River’s impact seasonal, firm says

 By GYNNIE KERO
The impact of the Kumalu River on the Lae-Bulolo Highway in Morobe tends to be seasonal and it is particularly bad from November to April, according to the PNG Forest Products (PNGFP) Ltd.
The Bulolo-based company said the road could be impassable up to 10 days at a time.
Company administration manager Ron Sneath said the road may be open for only a few hours or for several days at a time during that period.
“This problem started over 15 years ago,” he said.
“It disrupts food, fuel and essential operating supplies.
“It disrupts the transport of the finished product to Lae for the domestic and overseas markets.
“The consequences of this is that the finished product does not connect to shipping from Lae as intended.
“PNGFP staff become stranded when they cannot get across.
“The only logical solution is to re-route the road away from this area to a new location.”
Sneath said the company had spent millions over the past 15 years.
“In the early days, PNGFP built two bridges that were swept away by the Kumalu River.
“The first bridge lasted approximately 18 months and the second bridge lasted approximately six months,” he said.
David Wissink, from another big company operating in the area, the Morobe Mining Joint Venture, expressed similar concerns.