In last week’s Parliament session, Member (MP) for Hiri-Koiari Keith Iduhu directly questioned the Minister for Works and Highways Solan Mirisim, on several road projects within the Hiri-Koiari District that were reported that work has commenced but these roads remain untouched.
Mr. Iduhu raised key concerns that included:
- The Laloki to Brown River Bridge road
- The Laloki Junction to Goldie Barracks road
- The deteriorating culverts at Sebore along Maggi Highway — and whether a proper bridge is being considered to prevent future washouts from continuous flooding.
“The 23km road from Laloki and Brown River is of great concern now. With heavy rains or rather downpours in the city and covering Hiri-Koiari, as a consequence of the rain has caused a great flooding between this road along the Hiritano Highway has affected this road.
The 23km road has been awarded a K140 million contract to Hebou Construction Limited, but the work on the road has not commenced to date, although the contract has been executed and published.
I understand there has been litigation, and the litigation has concluded. Can the good minister inform the people of Hir-Koiari and the users of that important road between Laloki bridge and to Brown River which connects Hiritano Highway into Kairuku District and into Gulf Province when the work on the road will commence,” Mr. Iduhu said.
The MP also asked about the deteriorating culverts at Sebore along Maggi Highway — and whether a proper bridge is being considered to prevent future washouts from continuous flooding.
Minister for Works and Highways Solan Mirisim in response stated that the contract was indeed awarded to the contractor to commence work but then there was litigation, so they went to court again and the contractor has won the court case already and were given commencement letter.
Minister Mirisim said the work will commence very soon on the Laloki bridge to Brown river road as the mobilization is already paid.
“There is a contractor doing emergency and maintenance work currently at the road whilst we wait for the actual work to start on the road. We have three contractors engaged to do the work on that road.
As for the deteriorating culverts at Sebore along Maggi Highway, we have three contractors there working on the road and we want to make sure this road is fixed before September. We want to make sure all roads are fixed,” Mr. Mirisim said.