Tubal: Use ENB as a study model

EAST New Britain, with its accessible roads and viable sea ports and airport, will need a programme focusing on transport and infrastructure for maximum benefits, provincial administrator Akuila Tubal said.
Addressing consultants from KPMG engaged in the national Transport and Infrastructure Priorities Study (TIPS) and officers from the Department of Transport early this week, he called on the department to use the province as a model of trialing out its TIPS programme when completed.
Tubal said East New Britain had more than 600km of accessible roads, the soon to be upgraded Tokua international airport and numerous viable ports throughout the Gazelle Peninsula that would require a programme like TIPS.
He said there were a provincial supplies and tenders board and joint district planning and budget priorities committee that committed funds to infrastructural developments, however, it was equally important to have the TIPS model carried out in the province that included the New Britain Highway, Rabaul Simpson Harbour and Tokua Airport.
The consultation team left on Tuesday for New Ireland, then onto Manus and West New Britain on the final lag of consultation and gauging views in the New Guinea Islands region.