Morobe Planner’s concerns are real and must be addressed

THE newspaper article referring to the physical developments as stated by the Morobe Planner in The National dated April 27 in Lae city is real.
The scenario described is visible in every corner of Lae city.
The planner even outlined the relevant authorities to regulate such developments and even questions the integrity of the so-called physical planners.
I give my bold support for his courage but the fact I see here is the lack of coordination and enforcement of such building regulations and lack of development controls.
The provincial planner may point his finger at the physical planners for not planning the developments.
That could be true but the reality is the two foresaid facts.
Coordination – We have three separate physical planners working in three different organisations?
These are the Momase Regional Physical planning Office, the Provincial physical planning Office and the city authority with its city planner.
There seems to be no clear responsibility as to who is responsible in such cases.
Enforcement – Regulations and implementation are to be strategically distinguished.
The physical planners are planners and implementations have to be monitored to suit every regulation as Francis Japu highlighted.
It is also very interesting to see tax payers’ money being devoted in securing a new vehicle purposely for the enforcement unit which I believe is operating under the administration of the Morobe Government.
It would be wise if Francis can check this physical planning task force team and this particular vehicle must be used for the purpose intended for.
I suggest the following if it is to control such unplanned developments – the first alternative is to re-established the Morobe Physical Planning Board and to fully fund its operations and the Task Force Team has to have its own independent functions as the entity of the physical planning board for implementation purpose and free from undue influences and perform with integrity.

Robin Tolpare
Lae