Two remote areas to get roads

THE people of two remote areas in Bougain­ville have been carrying cash crops on their shoulders to markets for a long time.
They returned with building materials of cement bags, timbers and store goods back home crossing rivers and mountains.
These people of Aropa to Basikuna and Fairomana-Paruparu in Central Bougainville will now have two roads built for easy access to markets and back.
Member for Central Bougainville Jim Miringtoro has allocated K2 million from his district service improvement programme (DSIP) to fund the two roads into the two most remote parts of Central Bougainville.
Mr Miringtoro presented the cheque for K2 million to Works secretary Joel Luma for the construction of the roads.
The Member presented the cheque after the signing of a memorandum of understanding.
The release of the mo­ney means that Works Department will now use the money as counterpart funding and will nego­tiate with development partners to carry out construction of the two roads.
The two roads are Aropa-Basikuna to Kongara road and Tairomana-Paruparu to Jaba fuel station road.
Mr Miringtoro thanked the Somare Government for making funds available under DSIP that could now reach the remote people of Central Bougainville.
“These roads will boost the economic activity in these two areas,” Mr Mi­ringtoro said.
He said Bougainville was once a top cocoa exporting province and would strive to regain that position again with the opening up of roads throughout the province.