Road in Namatanai to be sealed after 40 years

THE West Coast road in Namatanai, New Ireland, which will cost K350 million to seal will come under the Government’s tax credit scheme, MP Byron Chan  (pictured) says.
He said a public tender had already been put out for the project.
“We are lucky that when the Government is not able to deliver, we have companies in the province that step in to assist in terms of the development of roads and bridges,” Chan said.
“The road will soon be sealed. After 40 years you will have a sealed road. This government has already tendered this West Coast (Namatanai) road.
“The estimated cost is K350 million to seal.
“More companies have shown interest. We have companies from Australia, China and Papua New Guinea. But tender is close because K350 million is big money at this time. We have commodity prices that have dropped.
“And we don’t have that much money to seal the road.
“Thus, we have put out a public tender.
“I’ve spent about K1 million to bring in Australian engineers to do the scope of works. Since we don’t have K350 million, we have decided that the West Coast road will come under the Government’s tax credit scheme.
“Under the companies’ tax credit scheme, we will put forward a budget of K20 million for the next three years on the West Coast road.”