A 25km long pilot road is expected to change the lives of the communities who will use it.
The Kapurika to Mainawa pilot road project, in the Milne Bay Province, is a new link that will connect Alotau town with some of the most remote parts of the district.
Member for Alotau, National Planning & Monitoring, and Public Enterprise Minister, Charles Abel, said about K4 million has already been spent through DSIP funds to construct the road.
Traveling the Kapurika to Mainawa road by vehicle or on foot, is not for the faint of heart.
The rugged terrains, similar to many other remote parts of the country, made it difficult for vehicles to travel.
After two days of travelling, one night spent on the road, and the last 2km covered on foot, the team reached its destination, Mainawa, exhausted.
K4 million has been spent over the past five years to get the road to where it is now. Before work started, Minister Abel walked the area with surveyors to determine it was the best place to put the road.
Eventually, this road will be part of the national highway network; the connection from Alotau to the North Coast, and then on to Oro Bay in the Northern Province, and on to Lae in Morobe.
At Mainawa, landowners illustrated their support when they presented Minister Abel with a pair of scissors to launch the road.
Head teacher of Mainawa Primary School, Denzil Urigeni, said the school has a high number of drop outs that is attributed to a lack of motivation because of the travelling distance to the nearest high school.
This has led to bigger problems of illiteracy, high maternal mortality rates and other cross cutting issues.
Minister Abel said work will continue on the road until it is of decent standard, it will take a bit more time and money, but the Minister is adamant that the benefits that will follow will assist the communities in the long run.
