Relocate Parliament to stop migrations to NCD

 MANY negative views have been said about the trans highway linking Port Moresby/Lae and the highland region. Most critics emphasized on land garbing from Papuans and also limited casual spin off job opportunities, they will become marginalize and this is true. 

Increased law and order with limited resources from relevant working class and the central people will be salvage among people from other region when the highway finally open up causing more headache for already high illegal mushroom settlement around the finch of Port Moresby city.

 While there are disadvantages, it is right timing now we should have the Port Moresby/Lae highway open up by now for the betterment of our economy. But the valid point our Government MUST consider what is the most pull fact that attracts a lot of migrants to Port Moresby at a given period must be addressed. 

Better health services, education, job opportunities, improved infrastructure and other better services one may think of must also be built in other regions. In fact there is not new infrastructures been build in the highland towns from Kainantu to Tari not to mention the third city Mt Hagen. Most development is taking place in Port Moresby, Lae and Kokopo.  

The great pull factor of the migrations into Port Moresby in any single period alone is the parliamentary elections.

When a member of parliament wins the election in the highlands and jerk away to other centers to form government, the supports rush to Port Moresby in waiting for their MPs to form the government with high expectation for their returns.  

The best solution now is for the Government to move the Parliament to Arona valley at Yonki as been proposed and build the houses of all the serving member of parliaments there. The current parliament house can be converted into a museum. It is the central location for all regions in PNG, then the government can go ahead and build the Port Moresy Lae highway.

Penial Mathias, Via email