Truckers: Failure to repair highway will affect economy

By PISAI GUMAR
THE government should no longer ignore the appalling condition of the Highlands Highway because further delay in fixing it could lead to the collapse of the economy.
Papua New Guinea Trucking Association president Jacob Luke said the cost of business had escalated into millions of kina annually for insurance, maintenance and the loss of cargo as a result of criminal activities.
Speaking at a meeting of trucking company managers at Lae International Hotel last Friday, Luke said:  “Government must address the Highlands Highway road rehabilitation as a matter of urgency because the treatment of this national asset by successive governments and ministers responsible leaves a lot to be desired.”
He said preliminary budget data showed the government had spent K1.6 billion on the highway in the past decade mainly for land compensation and periodic maintenance.
“It was a waste of public funds without any economic impact at all,” Luke said.
Luke urged trucking and industrial companies to unite and take the lead in fixing the road.
“We need to move away from the traditional approach of engaging with government at seminars and development forums because nothing concrete eventuates.
“Companies must remain united and tell the government we want to be involved directly in rebuilding the road under the auspicious of public private partnership, with the proposal based on the build operate transfer (BOT) concept,” Luke said.
He said BOT would be a joint venture (of business enterprises) to secure funding to rebuild the road.
“Lae business leaders need to agree in principle to investigate the feasibility of this proposal and submit it to the government for endorsement.
“This is because, without any shadow of a doubt, the highway is a nerve system to five Highlands provinces and the Momase regions.”
“The road serves almost three-quarters of the population of the country from a region that contributes three-quarters of the country’s gross domestic product.
“Through spin-offs, it creates millions of job opportunities.
“With the inception of LNG projects, it is a major conduit for economic development.
“The government and minister responsible seem to understand the importance of the road and yet failed to give it priority.
“Their negligence is now beginning to seriously affect service delivery and businesses that depend mainly on the road.
“Further delay could lead to the collapse of the country’s economy,” Luke said.