Madang ordered to fix roads

TEN orders have been issued by Justice David Cannings in relation to dilapidated roads in Madang town.
Justice Cannings, who had summoned town leaders over dust and poor roads to a meeting earlier, ordered that urgent remedial action be taken to repair and rehabilitate the roads, with work to start on April 1 and completed by Aug 1.
Justice Cannings, in the orders, stated: “It is declared that the present dilapidated road conditions in Madang town are a direct result of dereliction of duty over eight years by Madang government to make adequate provision in its annual budgets for road maintenance and rehabilitation, the result being that the rights of the people of Madang and particularly Madang town road users, including pedestrians.”
Further orders included:

• THE Madang development authority have the primary responsibility for repairing and rehabilitating Modilon Road from its junction with Baidal Road to its terminus at main wharf, Madang harbour, with the chairman of the Madang DDA to be responsible to assure all cheques worth K7.182mil and K3.8mil be applied so work starts no later than April 1 and completed no later than Aug 1;
• THE chairman of the DDA to provide an affidavit of the steps he takes in the form of a plan of action;
• MADANG government to provide K2.5mil from its 2021 budget for remedial work on the airport road from its junction with Baidal Road to its terminus at Madang Airport, Baidal Road from its junction with Modilon Road to its junction with airport road, Coastwatcher’s Avenue from its confluence with Coronation Drive to its junction with Patosten Steet and along Patosten St to Modilon Rd, Coronation Drive from its confluence with Coastwatcher’s Avenue to its junction with Modilon Road, Kalibobo Drive from its junction with Motilon Road to its junction with Coralita St, Yabob Rd from its junction with Modilon Rd to its junction with North Coast Road and any other feeder or significant road in Madang town requiring such work;
• THE Madang administrator is tasked with working closely with the provincial works manager to ensure all roads are brought to an acceptable standard by May 1 and the work to start no later than Feb 10;
• THE State to provide K2.5mil for repairing and rehabilitating roads including the North Coast Road, Beon Road, with work to start no later than May 1 and completed no later than Dec 1, with the secretary for the Department of Treasury and Department of Works to file an affidavit on the steps taken to comply with the order;
• THE Madang urban local level government to provide all staff and facilities at its disposal to assist in ensuring orders are given practical effect;
• A committee, called the Madang town roads court order committee, meet at least once every two months to monitor and discuss implementation of this order;
• ANY authorities or persons referred to in this order may apply for variation of these orders;
• APPLICATIONS made in the course of these proceedings for other orders, including damage, are declined; and,
• THE proceedings to return for mention and to check compliance with particular orders requiring early compliance on Feb 12 at 9.30am.