The rate of K11.42-million per km standard in PNG civil construction industry? Should Joe Polonsky named after the Magi Highway? Who in PNG is qualified to accredit new roads to standards?

by JOE POLONSKY JR

'MAGI HIGHWAY' - The Highway my father built from 1972 to 1975 in Central Province, PNG. Old Joe Polonsky, as the locals of Magi Highway knew him as, 'Taubada Joe'.

Now in those days, a Contract was just a simple HANDSHAKE and HONESTY to fulfil the contract.

My old man's Contract was to walk through the thick jungles and to build the highway to link Kupiano to Kwikila and also from Aroma Turnoff near Matairuka to the whole Aroma Villages.

My old man kept his handshake agreement as a true, loyal contractor. However, before the handshake agreement was made, they brought in surveyors from Australia but all failed in their survey of the thick jungle as they hit rugged terrains, high mountains and swamps which was going to cost them a lot of money to build the highway. So my father was approached as he had his small logging and construction business and had a good reputation of keeping promises and getting the job done. So my father, took to his next task, was to walk and build the highway.

My Father was not an Engineer but like what they say, as a BUSH MECHANIC, You see, you learn and you do!

Old Taubada Joe kept his word, started walking and building the road. In the few years it took him building the road, it costed him a lot of money, a lot of hard work, a lot of time camping in the jungles and a lot of machines which broke down and still yet sit there near the highway today as you read this.

I was born in 1974 and my mother took care of me in a Caravan my father had, situated near Lebagoro Village around the sharp bend near 2 coconut trees that still stand there today. My Father also built so many sub-roads along the Rigo and Abau Districts, right up to Amau and Gadaguina and so many other places to name, it is not funny!

But anyways, after completion of the so called Magi Highway which my father built and named, man seriously I feel and I know that my old man is my true hero as this Highway he walked and built is one of the National Highways out of Port Moresby which are the famous Hiritano Highway and the Famous Magi Highway but the sad thing is, my old man lost heaps and was never paid a Toea.

If anybody wants to rename the so called Magi Highway including the Prime Minister, either you leave it as what my Father named it of Magi Highway or in memory of old Joe Polonsky, name it Polonsky Highway.

My father was never recognised for his achievements for building one of our national highways.

Thank you,

Joe Polonsky Jnr

MY OLD MAN, MY HERO!

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Joe's story above came out on the social media as a result of renaming the Magi Highway by Prime Minister Peter O'Neill recently in Port Moresby to Sir Reuben Taureka Highway. Not only did the Government renamed the highway in a disrespect manner without recognising due credit but also, as the PNG social media claims is suspicious and self-serving at a very high cost.

It was a very expensive road built by the O'Neill-Dion Government. The total cost of the road was at the money value of K160.2 million of a 14-kilometre distance. When you calculate the distance and amount of money to arrive at how much was for 1km, you will see a massive K11.42 million per km. 

Someone who is qualified to calculate this, like a civil engineer can do it better but a K11.42 million per km is quite a lot of tax payer's money and this is suspicious.

Vincent Moses article below sheds some light of this suspicious. 

By Vincent Moses -  Development under PNC-led Government via Facebook.

They borrow money in our name, from our bank, to fund their road construction company, to build a road to their latest resort.

They claim all the credit for this latest development while we the people are told to be grateful for a useless piece of infrastructure and the growing debt burden it adds onto our shoulders.

They walk away with the profits while we are left with a debt burden and a piece of infrastructure we did not need in the first place.

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Did you know that the Chairman of BSP Bank is the brother of the Chairman of Hebou Construction? Did you also know that the BSP Chairman recently (June 2016) bought and renovated the Loloata Island resort whose entry is meters away from where the "new" publicly funded 4 lane superhighway ends?

There is no gold mine, copper mine, LNG Project or other major project or business at the end of that short 4 lane superhighway that will give economic justification to its urgent construction.

Why rush this road when the nation cannot afford it? Why borrow again when our debt burden has gone over the legal limit? What was so urgent about this road?

Why rush it when the Okuk and Lae Madang highways have fallen into total disrepair? Not to mention the Sepik or Gulf or Buluminski or New Britain or Manus highways?

There you go NCD and PNG residents. Another development project for you to boast about and be proud of. Brought to you by your Governor and your Prime Minister who love you so much.

Ownership of Loloata Resort Hotel is shown below with the IPA documents (refers photos below).

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Vincent asked some questions that the people of PNG need to know the answers. The Okuk highway that contributes to the economy of the country is getting worse each time as we sit to read this article. It's in a state whereby trucking companies and PMV owners are suffering and losing business. 

Is O'Neill-Dion Government responsible enough to help local people grow PNG economy by building needed infrastructure? 

Calling this new 4-lane road as World Standards? 

Who classified the roads? And according to what road specifications?

..NRA/DoW and IEPNG should class the infrastructure. 

Not overly zealous and ambitious politicians who are not in the position to make sound Engineering conclusions such as Road Classification. If it is deemed a world class road........ This announcement must come from the Road Authorities or the Engineering fraternity. 

Or a panel from the IEPNG..the cost of construction is overly estimated. Rates allow of gross overheads and profits..much like the other PNG projects- unrealistic high cost estimates. 

IEPNG were never requested to evaluate contract rates..which we don't have powers to. Most unfortunate as we would've provided a professional and most logical cost estimate for projects like this.

A section of the 4-lane road that O'Neill-Dion Government cals is World Class that costed K160-million....at a rate of K11.4-million per km.......!

IPA documents showing who owns the Loloata Island Resort that the very expensive World Class 4-lane road was built to serve,......there is no economic that this road basically links to generate income for the country.....just the resort!

More additional IPA documents............note the director of the Loloata Island Resort. Director 1....George is the Chairman of BSP who approves the Govt loan for this road....it all happens to serve their own interest...not for PNG!

IPA documents.........note the directors of Loloata Island Resort.

The Okuk Highway that needs Government funding.....its serves all the highlands provinces of the country that contributes 60% percent of overall PNG economy...

Section of the Okuk Highway.........lack of Government funding...

Section of the Okuk highway that becomes a car wash area........who can fix this pothole????

   

Old Joe Polonsky who built the same highway in 1972 and named it as 'MAGI HIGHWAY'  which is now changed by O'Neill to call it Sir Reuben Taureka Highway - Locals in the Central Province of PNG called this man in their local language as 'Taubada Joe'........

He should be named after the highway if it was to change the name. O'Neill Govt just showed it doesn't have respect for people like Joe who built the highway to what it is today......!

*Various sources on FB.