Election fever

Rogue Yama's campaign HQ

 Madang centre architecture

 Public meeting of candidates

The elections here in PNG are in full swing. Only 4 pqople have died in battles between rival supporters, and none in Madang. Politicians seeking re-election have been touring round distributing largesse from their parliamentary funds and in the case of ministers from other sources too like the gaming board etc. Flights have even been chartered to ship cash from the Capital when local banks are closed due to bank holidays

In town the councillors were planning a surprise council meeting to sack the town manager, his deputy and the treasurer (the members not having received their allowances since January due to budget delays) but were foiled by the surely anticipated announcement by the government of a holiday for the queen’s birthday for the chosen date, With members also deeply involved in campaigning any action is postponed, like everything else till after the election.  Near the market on Saturday a political meeting with many of the candidates speaking for five minutes each to a large and attentive crowd – impressive, no fighting, stone throwing or heckling – so Madang can be civilised after all. J

The Council health section served notice on the police to close their cells in the town police station in three days if the toilet drains are not fixed. The response was an announcement on radio Madang that there would be no more arrests in town until the problem had been repaired, presumably after the election like the leaking ceiling in my flat. Suits my doctor though who was about to be charged with abusive behaviour when trying, it seems successfully, to protect a magnificent tree being felled by land grabbing rouges

Cloudy weather the last few days has meant no hot water from the solar thing on the roof and clothes take a little longer to dry hanging under the patio roof – never mind, Sarah cooked a smashing curry at the weekend and I managed to beat her at chess too.

 My Neighbours

 Election fever - 77 candidates for two seats

 

new town hall extension

Highways in Madang Town

 

May 2012 the National Department of Works, Provincial office is preparing a financial bid for the surveying, designing and reconstruction of 11km of the ‘National’ highways in the town. The scheme will apparently include full new street lighting scheme although responsibility for its future power supply costs and maintenance should surely be discussed with MULLG if the Town Council were expected to become responsible for it (the Town Council struggles to pay the present lighting bills).  In addition to this they are not aware of the Town Council’s construction of a roundabout at the airport junction this year and which would affect their own project.  The Department is also preparing to do remedial works to Kasagten street including new drains – a road which I understand to be the responsibility of the Town Council, and without informing or discussing with the Town Council in advance.

The Town Council’s roundabout project, financed by a previous bid, the monies being held in a specific account was relocated from the ‘Handymart’ junction because of the cost of the associated drainage work needed. Tenders were sought by way of a few A4 notices at shops and at the Post Office without notifying local contractors on the approved roads tendering list. A single tender was received and accepted from Port Moresby from a company allegedly associated with an MULLG Councillor. The contractor is now seeking an 80% up-front payment before he starts work – although this may be a blessing if allows the Council to cancel the contract? Aware of all the pothole problems in town the Council has decided to allocate all the grass cutting team, after weeks of no fuel for their machines to pothole filling leaving the grass around town to develop into bush unless money can be found to hire more workers.

At this point the Province step in with a hastily called meeting, not to clarify responsibilities but to introduce a Korean company who are currently working in the Province and to announce the Province’s intention of appointing said company to work on the ‘National’ highways in town (“as a first phase”) -  to survey, design and to build (with  no tendering involved?).  The design  will be similar to that envisaged by the Dept of Works but with the airport road also being a 4 lane dual carriageway. The Province accept that their proposed, and already paid for Nambasa road bridge is no longer expected to be built (the Contractor, having collected 80% of the cost has not been seen since) so another bridge there will be designed and built as part of this project.  In the town, large billboards advertise that the Province, with Government funding and the Dept of Works contracts are re-constructing 8 roads in central residential areas, again with no reference to the Town Council who allegedly are responsible for those roads.

It is clearly not just the Public who are confused as to who is responsible for what work to which roads, the Authorities also do not know what each body is doing