PNG’S HIGHLANDS HIGHWAY REOPENED AFTER LANDSLIDE

PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT

Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i

PNG’S HIGHLANDS HIGHWAY REOPENED AFTER LANDSLIDE
Ends 23 days of disruption on the key transit link

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, May 7, 2008) – The bypass at the Gera landslip outside Kundiawa was opened late yesterday afternoon to light traffic – 23 days after disaster struck, displacing villagers and cutting off four highlands provinces.

The road, however, will be closed again today to allow for heavy equipment to compact and gravel the surface and be re-opened again in the afternoon.

[PIR editor’s note: Kundiawa is the capital of Simbu Province, Papua New Guinea, with a population of 8,147 (2000 Census). It lies along the Highlands Highway approximately halfway between Goroka and Mount Hagen, respectively the capitals of the Eastern Highlands and Western Highlands provinces.]

The Post-Courier understands it would take several days for the bypass to be opened during the nights and closed for work to go on during day time before it is fully opened.

Although it will be partially opened, the welcoming news brought relief to all government and private institutions and the millions of people in the interior who depend on the highway.

The blockage has caused a dire situation in the Highlands provinces with fuel, food items and other much needed supplies running out and posing a threat to the world class Porgera gold mine and the gas and petroleum resources development projects in the Southern Highlands and Enga provinces.

The country lost millions of kina in export earnings with coffee, tea and other products destined for the international market piling up in Mt Hagen and the other centres.

Trucking companies which relied heavily on the highway to do business grounded their vehicles and laid off most of their workers.

Light vehicles and fuel tankers were allowed to use the bypass but heavier transports would cross the bypass by Thursday when the soil is compact and stabilized.

Chimbu provincial police Commander Joseph Tondop said co-operation, understanding and unity had brought about the opening, which according to many including engineers would have taken months to fix.

Soldiers from the PNG Defence Force Engineering Battalion in Lae arrived on the weekend to boost security and provide confidence to construction workers on the site.

Papua New Guinea Post-Courier: www.postcourier.com.pg/

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