National Government commits to maintaining Bougainville’s Road network

The National Minister for Works and Highways, Solan Mirisim, recently visited Bougainville for 2 days to inspect the road network in the Autonomous Region.

Mr. Mirisim was accompanied by ICT Minister Timothy Masiu, who is also the member for South Bougainville, Bougainville Regional MP Peter Tsiamalili Jnr, the Central Bougainville MP Fr. Simon Dumarinu, Works and Highways Secretary David Wereh, ABG Minister for Technical Services Joseph Mona, and other senior government officials.

The team took a road trip from Arawa through Panguna to the Tavera River in South Bougainville to assess the road conditions.

On their second day, they traveled from Buka to Soroken on the West Coast of mainland Bougainville and then back to Buka, ending their inspections in Haku Constituency, where the Buka Ring Road runs through.

Most of the Buka Highway on the East coast is sealed up to Pitono Village. However, the sealing is yet to be completed up to Kesa Beach at the far northwest tip of Buka Island.

During his visit, Mr. Mirisim briefly paid a courtesy call to Jomik Earthmoving Limited, the contractor of the road construction in Buka.

He assured that although the Pitono to Kesa stretch of road is an ABG-funded project, the national government will commit to assisting the ABG to complete the road network.

Mr Mirisim says a team from the National Works will be required to travel to Bougainville to conduct a full audit on all the roads.

Bougainville’s Regional member and the Minister for Internal Security, Peter Tsiamalili Jnr encouraged that any road developments must be of world standard.

Minister Tsiamalili jnr strongly stressed the Connect PNG project by the National Government is about raising standards and the contractors must perform to the best of their capabilities.

“If you want to set a standard for the new Bougainville, it must start today.

“We all have a big responsibility now going forward. Minister Mirisim, Secretary Wereh, with a good minister and a secretary, is to give confidence to our local contractors who can be also meeting global standards. I'm not talking PNG standards.

“I'm talking global because Connect PNG is about setting a global standard for community and Bougainville is part of that Connect PNG. Every month we're going to meet. The ministerial committee is going to meet to see the progress of work.

“We're going to deliver this project together.”

Tsiamalili also announced that he is now the Chairman of National roads in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.