**** ADDRESS BY THE PRIME MINISTER HON. PETER O’NEILL, CMG MP AT THE HIGH LEVEL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS FORUM ON THE NATIONAL TRANSPORT STRATEGY FRIDAY, 22ND NOVEMBER, 2013 **** I acknowledge the presence of: Minister for Transport -- Hon. Ano Pala; Minister for Works & Implementation -- Hon Francis Awesa; Minister for Civil Aviation – Hon. Steven Davies; The International Development Partners; ADB, World Bank, AusAID, JICA and European Union Members of the Transport Sector Coordination, Monitoring and Implementation Committee; Other Distinguished Guests Ladies; and Gentlemen. This is an important forum and I am pleased that our government’s ministers responsible for important aspects of the transport sector are present to join in discussions on our nation’s transport sector development strategy. Development and provision of an efficient transport system in our country is an important national agenda. This forum is being held against a national transport sector back-drop featuring seriously deteriorated transport infrastructures in all our provinces. The very poor state of our national and provinical roads, non-existence of wharves and jetties in most maritime provinces and closure of many provincial and district airstrips stems from many years of maintenance neglect. As a responsible government we have begun a major program of development, maintenance and rehabilitation of these important transport assets starting this year as the Year of Implementation. This program will be rolled out every year throughout our government’s tenure in office. As a reflection of our government’s continuing serious commitment to rebuilding our nation’s fallen transport infrastructure we have allocated K2.7 billion in cluding a donor funding component of K769 million in the 2014 for infrastructure development, maintenance and rehabilitation. Construction and maintenance of roads and bridges nationwide is a critical area and our government has allocated K1.6 billion including a donor funding component of K339 million to the Department of Works under the 2014 Budget continue new developments and upgrades in this sector. Transport infrastructure in four of our nation’s main urban centres will also be given uopgrades and facelift to develop these cities as important service hubs for our four regions. Additional funds of K30 million will be spend in Port Moresby to upgrade and rehabilitate Jacksons Airport and K170 million will be spend on new and existing roads next year. Lae will receive a total of K270 million for Lae port development and K100 million for new and existing roads, Mount Hagen will receive K40 million for its new and existing roads and Kokopo will get K15 million for Tokua Airport upgrade and the road from the airport to Kokopo township. Our government is able to deliver these projects on the back of generous grants, loans and lines of credit extended to us by our donor and development partners. My three Ministers for the Transport Sector will play important roles in the successful delivery of the transport and other infrastructure sector programs in the coming year and beyond. The National Transport Strategy forum today gives all of us the opportunity and our Development Partners to critically analyse where we are at insofar as this important sector is concerned and to chart new ways forward to make the transport sector more efficient and cost-wise, more user friendly for all our citizens, residents, the business community and visitors to our country. I am sure the three Ministers will respectively speak to their portfolio responsibilities during the course of the day. One of the first steps this government undertook when we came into office was the ratification of the Alotau Accord and the Platform for Action that it provided. A key feature of the Alotau Accord was to improve the delivery of transport infrastructure and transport services with a view to improving the social and economic outcomes for the nation. To achieve the Government’s commitment, performance agreements were signed by respective agency heads with their respective ministers and I note that one of three priority projects for the Department of Transport was the National Transport Strategy launched at the end of July this year. This is a milestone for the sector. You have an actual blueprint of what needs to be done to achieving the programs, projects and activities articulated in the Medium Term Transport Plan 2014-2018. I would like to acknowledge and thank the ADB and the then AusAID Program for their past and on-going support and assistance to the transport sector and look forward to the implementation outcomes of the new Austratlian Aid program. The presence of Director General of the ADB, Mr.Xianbin Yao, Australian Aid and other Development Partners like World Bank, European Union and JICA is also acknowledged and I thank you all and your organisations for your continuing contribution in the development of our nation’s Transport Sector. Today’s forum should set the stage and scene for the implementation of the National Transport Startegy and the Medium Term Transport Plan, where the Development Partners can indicate to the Government on the type of support and assistance and where and how they will deliver it to achive the Government’s objectives. We need to take firm action if we are to realise our national vision of a healthy, wealthy and educated society. Transport is integral to achieving this as it impacts on each and every one of us on a daily basis. The National Transport Strategy must provide the Transport Sector with a flexible and responsive approach to moving our nation forward while recognising that we cannot do everything at once. We currently have over 9,000km of ‘national’ roads, 21 major airports, 22 seaports supported by another 21,000km of rundown provincials roads, hundreds of non-operating airstrips and rotting jetties which come under the responsibility of Provincial Governments or the private sector. A large proportion of the provincial infrastructure is in a very poor condition, especially the rural airstrips which our government is committed to improving under our “going rural” policy. I acknowledge the continued funding support from ADB, Australian Aid and World Bank on roads and bridge projects and JICA on bridge projects in Bougainville. With the PNG transport sectors’ policies and investment plans outlined in the NTS approved by my government, it is my desire that as part of the review process of your respective Country Assistance Strategies with PNG, that further additional financial and technical support be provided to this very important sector. In closing, I wish you all a successful forum and I look forward to the outcomes you reach in this meeting. Thank you.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:50:00 +0000
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