Transport key to development

TRANSPORT is a fundamental enabling service that underpins the economic and social development of PNG.
Transport secretary Henry Parakei said this during the official launch of the corporate plan 2011-15.
The event coincided with the department’s corporate uniform in Port Moresby last Friday.
Parakei said the plan  would act as a guide to ensure daily, weekly and monthly activities for the department was accomplished according to plan.
He said the seven pillars contained in the PNG Vision 2050 launched by Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare in December 2009, was related in some way to transport.
 “This corporate plan 2011-15 could not be more timely given that we have come to realise and to think seriously about the future of our network of roads, airports, wharves, navigational aids and other related infrastructure facilities that have been inadequately funded over recent years.
“With the forthcoming release of the national transport strategy and the medium-term transport plan, it is appropriate to undertake a review of the corporate plan with the aim of ensuring that the activities of the department reflect the direction and priorities outlined in the key strategic plans and strategies,” he said.
Parakei said the key result areas were interdependent and required all aspects to be in place and working as a whole to make the sector work more effectively.
He said it was important the department worked closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure a well coordinated approach to policy deve­lopment, regulation control, and implementation and monitoring of approved policies and work programmes in the land, air and maritime transport.