Road block between Mendi and Ialibu cleared

TRAFFIC flow between Mendi and Ialibu in Southern Highlands province is back to normal last Friday after the major roadblock has been cleared by the police.
Police Commissioner Gari Baki was there to help his policemen in the province last Thursday to clear the roadblock, which was set up by the villagers living in an area between Ialibu road junction and the Agula River.
The roadblock, set up  last Monday, affected business houses, hospitals, health centres and commuters in the province.
Provincial police commander Supt Jimmy Onopia said from Mendi that the road was now open to the public.
Supt Onopia, Commissioner Baki and a group of policemen walked the 35km section of the road to clear the roadblock and fill several holes dug across the highway.
They used three chainsaws to cut trees felled across the highway.
They did not touch 12 power pylons that were felled.
That would be up to PNG Power to do.
Supt Onopia warned people not to do it again and urged them to raise their concerns with appropriate authorities.
The villagers set up the roadblock after claiming that their promised payment for the crops and properties removed along the highway during the major upgrading under the Highlands Highway Rehabilitation Programme was not paid by the Works Department.