Simbai happy with road funding

By CLEMENT KAUPA
THE K10 million allocation next year for the design of a road from Jimi in Western Highlands through the mountainous Simbai area and into Madang has delighted the Simbai people.
It is considered the first decisive move by any government in more than four decades to open up this area which considered one of the last frontiers of this mountainous country.
The only access into the area at present is by light aircraft via either Kagamuga Airport in Mt Hagen or Madang Airport.
 “It is long overdue but we grasp this announcement with glad hearts,” James Kias, a business management graduate of Massey University, New Zealand, said.
Kias’ academic achievement is rare in an area noted for its high illiteracy rate.
The road would significantly improve rural lives and eliminate costly air travel as airfares range between K410 to Madang and K240 to Kagamuga in Western Highlands.
To charter a flight to Kagamuga costs about K4,000 and it is significantly higher for the Simbai-Madang sector.
The high transportation costs have long been a stumbling block for farming ventures, including coffee cultivation even though the area offers vast agricultural potential.
Speaking as a representative of his Kairok people, Kias said they have waited patiently for 40 years already and the government’s recent announcement was  welcome news.
According to Kias, it would take less than six months for construction to reach Simbai from Western Highlands because the existing road ends metres away from his village located on the border of Western and Madang. 
Meanwhile, Kias expressed concern over the use of the K500,000 local level government allocation in the 2013 budget.
“The K500,000 allocation must be released only when the LLGs present sound budgets that clearly identify their annual plans,” he  said.