Unrepaired bridge causes concern for Southern Highlands district

MORE than 6,000 people in the Imbonggu district, Southern Highlands, will be deprived of their right to basic goods and services if their bridge is not repaired.
Half of the Oma-Kumin bridge had been washed away in 2008 after the rivers burst their banks due to heavy rain.
Formal complaints had been sent to the Southern Highlands disaster office, but nothing had been done about the situation.
The culvert bridge, situated between the Kumine and Wames villages, was set up about 30 years ago with funding assistance from the then provincial member Steven Mendepo and others in the provincial assembly.
Last Thursday, the culvert bridge was struck again by another flood causing the “half bridge” to be narrowed, making it impossible for big vehicles to pass.
The locals blamed this on the government’s failure to repair the bridge.
Villagers are now calling on National Disaster Committee chairman Manasupe Zurenuoc, local MP Francis Awesa, provincial disaster office, Works Department and ExxonMobil to take immediate action to repair the bridge.
Councillors Dominic Yore (Wames) and Michael Urum (Kumine) raised concern that they did not want their people in three council wards to suffer and want the bridge repaired immediately.
Provincial disaster co-ordinator, Martin Pat, said all reports on the disaster had been submitted in August 2008, to the National Disaster Office, district administration and Awesa’s office, but funds had not been received.
He said since then, the provincial disaster office had been after these funds but no favourable response had been given.
“We cannot continue to beg for these funds, according to the law, the provincial government is responsible to look into the people’s problems when they are affected by natural disasters.”
Pat said millions of kina was being pumped into areas like Popondetta only to be misused, and could not see why funds for Imbonggu were not being released.
He called on the appropriate authorities to divert their funding and look into the Highlands region which was also being affected by natural disasters.