Lae establishes own road repair team
Written by Writer on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008
Lae establishes own road repair team
Post-Courier Online
Thursday 23rd October, 2008
LAE city’s reputation of being the “pot-hole city” will soon be something of the past.
This is because the city will soon have its own city road maintenance team that will look after all the city roads and streets.
Lae Joint District Planning and Budget Priority Committee (JDP&BPC) has appropriated K2.4 million for the Lae Urban Local Level Government (ULLG) council to purchase the equipment for the team.
The project is separate from the current Lae city road maintenance work program underway with funding from the National Government.
K2.4million was allocated for the purchase of the equipment for the team following a submission by Lae Lord Mayor James Khay to the JDP&BPC.
The funds would be used to buy a grader, a compact roller, a frontend loader, one backhoe, two tractors with grass slashers and two eight-tonne dump trucks.
“We want to have our own road maintenance team because in the past road contractors have been invoicing us (Lae ULLG) for huge amounts of money for incomplete jobs,” Mr Khay said.
He said they would use the equipment to do more work on their own roads for less money.
“This team will carry out maintenance work on the Lae roads and also the Ahi roads. We will even upgrade and maintain roads into the villages and settlements,” the Lord Mayor said.
He said he was happy with Lae MP and Deputy Opposition Leader Mr Bart Philemon for endorsing the submission and allocating the money for the much needed project in the city.
Mr Khay said he was proud to have Mr Philemon, adding that he would work closely with him to get the project off the ground.
“Lae MP Bart Philemon is a transparent and honest leader. I will work closely with him to ensure that every resolution passed in the JDP&BPC is implemented,” Mr Khay said.
It was understood that the Lae City Road Maintenance Team will be launched by next month to start work in December.
