Red tape cause of delays to road works

 By CLEMENT KAUPA

 INEPTITUDE is the rogue word being flounced around Morobe in recent times but it was amplified on Monday at the 38th Independence anniversary celebrations in Lae. 

Morobe Governor Kelly Naru had publicly declared to thousands of revelers that ineptitude and bureaucratic red-tape were behind delays to road works in the city. 

Incidentally, Naru had launched a scathing attack against Central Supplies and Tenders Board, departments of Works and Finance and contractors for the delays.

The fiery governor reiterated his call yesterday, saying he would not be bought up into what he described as a “blame-game” between the parties.  

That is while admitting that his government had no hand in the management of the multi-million kina Lae urban roads rehabilitation programme since its beginning in 2010.

“While the programme is in Lae for the people of Lae, Waigani people have seen fit to control it remotely from Port Moresby,” an infuriated Naru declared.  

“All the funds are parked with the National Works Department in Port Moresby where the programme is remote controlled from,” he added.

According to Naru, to date well over K200 million had been exhausted but more than 60% of urban roads in Lae are either under construction or are yet to undergo construction.    

“Some of them (contractors) are taking forever while others have disappeared with money.”

Naru pinpointed three road projects under the rehabilitation programme that have been retendered due to poor quality work. 

The sections identified as from InterOil to Eriku junction, Scout Hall to Bumbu Barracks and the Bumayong back road were all covered by the previous funding of K200 million.  

However, Naru said due to substandard work on two and a clear breach of contract in the third, all three were retendered.

That is while other sections such as the Bumbu Road from Eriku to Bumbu Bridge, Markham Road from the old airport to Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium and 7th Street Road to China Town are dragging on indefinitely.

“What is going on? Are the residents of Lae city to be held ransom forever by your inefficiencies and incompetence?” Naru asked yesterday, a continuance of his scathing attack on the Central Supplies and Tenders Board, departments of Works and Finance and private contractos.

“Where is the delay? What is CSTB, National Works Department, Finance Department and contractors involved doing about these projects?”

“For goodness sake, they cannot take forever to be completed,” Naru stated angrily.  

He had claimed that some projects that would otherwise take months, were taking years to be completed. 

He asserted that the responsible parties were in a scrum-pile over the mess and were now well into the midst of a blame-game. 

“I don’t want to be bought up into the “blame-game” but only want what is duly owed to the people of this city and province which are good roads delivered on time.” 

Meantime, Naru also acknowledged that the much anticipated upgrade from two to four-lane for the Lae to Nadzab had dropped behind schedule too.