Not enough funds to maintain roads

 THE country’s roads are being used by too many vehicles too frequently that there is just not enough money and time to adequately maintain them to acceptable and durable standards.

And because of the high number of vehicles, some of which, under proper surveillance, ought to be kept off the public roads, there is a corresponding increase in road accidents as well.

This concern was voiced by a government official from the National Road Authority this week. 

The authority’s mission is to maintain the national road network in a condition which satisfies users’ needs, and to manage the country’s road assets efficiently on behalf of the government and people of Papua New Guinea.

An authority official has said that 10,000 vehicles every year is exerting so much pressure on road infrastructure a new legislation would ensure strict compliance and cooperation from agencies such as PNG Ports Corporation and Customs.

Road infrastructure is inadequate to cater for the high number of vehicles, the official pointed out. 

The total number of vehicles in the country – upwards to 120,000 – was taxing on the existing road infrastructure.

The last four years had seen 44,052 vehicles being imported into PNG and arriving at the ports of Port Moresby, Lae and Rabaul, according to statement for PNG Ports this week. 

The increase in imported vehicles entering Lae was attributed to the growth in the mining sector in the Highlands as well as the increasing demand for vehicles including heavy machinery for business, the port authority reported.

Vehicle imports include both new and used vehicles.  Generally new vehicle imports are by licensed motor dealers while private buyers settle for modified ones from the Japanese and Singaporean markets.

Internet buying has made such purchases a lot easier today than just a few years ago.  

More and more Papua New Guinea families are able buying these affordable and well-serviced vehicles.

In Port Moresby, where the situation traffic congestion on the existing road network is of particular concern, an ineffective and unreliable public transport system could be a contributing factor to people resorting to using private vehicles.

Workers and families who can longer accept the standard of public transport because of very obvious reasons resort to buying vehicles of their own.  

Public transport operators are not in the least concerned about the health and safety of passengers and most operators are at best discourteous to their clients.

Until public transport is brought under strict control and administered by a central state or municipal authority, it would be too much to expect any marked improvement just yet at least in the capital city. While a government authority must of necessity sound a warning about the impact of such 

an influx of vehicles on public roads, could the trend be a positive indication of 

the affluence of a growing middle that has a bit of disposable income to throw around?

Vehicle import figures supplied by the National Road Authority and PNG Ports especially do confirm that more and more Papua New Guineans are able to afford vehicles today than ever before.

It is perhaps a testament to a growing economy translating into real gains in incomes by individuals and families who can now afford a little luxury.

That may be so but it is no real indicator of prosperity we can be truly proud of. 

Papua New Guineans’ have, for a long time, had a penchant for second hand and cheap merchandise.  

We are content with second hand items and our wealthy neighbours are happily flooding our shores with more of it.

The stance taken by the National Road Authority to closely monitor vehicle dealers in light of the influx implies that some imports into the country may have not have been done through proper channels.  

The laxity by those agencies concerned may be ultimately responsible for the large number of vehicles on public roads and incidences of road accidents.

That is something the authority and other government agencies such as 

PNG Ports and Customs have to work together to sort out.