Upgrade Highway

Letters

THE need to upgrade the Lae-Bulolo Highway should draw the attention of the Government.
Continuous flooding has washed away four sections of the Highway and traffic flow will stop within days.
This time it is not the Kumalu Creek but the Bulolo River which has already caused extensive damages between Baiune and Golden Pine Bridge.
Despite the contributions of Bulolo and Menyamya districts through timber, gold, coffee and fresh produce into Lae, no attention has been given to this national highway.
The only major maintenance of this highway was done in 1980s under the term of late Mathew Bendum – at a time when Government funding to the districts were only K500,000.
Today the Government pours into the districts K10 million annually and Bulolo district is no exception.
Bulolo also gets the special support grant (SSG) from Harmony Gold operations in Hidden Valley for infrastructures.
Yet the people are waiting to see when the district administration will allocate some of these money as project contribution while waiting for the Government and development partners to undertake major maintenance work on the highway.
Australian aid has built and rebuilt the new Bulolo Hospital and National Forest Authority has given around K7 million to reseal parts of Bulolo Township so we are sure they are willing to assist.
We should be truthful about the district’s state of affairs and ask for development assistance instead of printing a pretty picture of the district in the media to say all is well and beautiful in Bulolo.
The Bulolo people are resilient and continue to find ways to face the Kumalu and Bulolo River despite continuous road damages.
With the support of PNG Forest Products, Harmony Gold, National Forest Authority and stakeholders, we continue to pour money into Lae and the national economy.
We call on the district administration and local MP Sam Basil to call on other stakeholders to address the road issue.
Lae-Bulolo Highway is a lifeline to the district and the country’s economy.
Fix our roads.

Concerned Ples Man,