Watom jetty in East New Britain undergoing maintenance

THE long-abandoned Watom jetty on Watom Island in Rabaul, East New Britain, is undergoing maintenance.
The 32m long jetty, which once served as the main link for goods and services on the island more than two decades ago, had been faced with weakening and eroding risks at its approach which called for urgent response.
Rabaul civil works engineer Mellie Munulai said the K850,000 cost of the maintenance work came jointly from a Provincial Services Improvement Programmes and Public Investment Programme funding arrangement.
He said the project had been rolled out by NewLand Real Estate Ltd. Work included realigning the edge beam of the approach using boulders and pouring in new concrete to reinforce and stabilise the structure.
“Concrete works for structure such as gabion baskets, river training and bed protection have also been carried out to ensure the jetty can withstand various sea levels and weather conditions,” said Munulai.
He emphasised on the importance of the maintenance to prevent the collapse of the jetty approach and cutting it off from the shore. Watom Island local level government manager Emmanuel Tokom said the jetty had been lying idle for years and it had crippled them in terms of accessibility, transporting of cocoa, copra, fish, and other fresh produce to the mainland.
“Once the jetty is completed, it will boost economic activities and also attract potential investors and it will also lower the risk of sea mishaps,” said Tokom.
Meantime, acting district administrator Freddy Lemeki commended the infrastructure sector for the project and said that it had been the main gateway for goods and services.
He said the district administration was confident that the contractor would ensure a strong and durable jetty.