West Coast Central Highway On Target to Meet September 16 Deadline

West Coast Central People of New Ireland are hardworking, resilient yet humble people. Regardless of the road condition, West Coast Central Constituency has been supplying almost 80% of garden produce to Kavieng Town. Improving West Coast Central Highway will unlock the economic potential and surely the economy will thrive. 

Seeing that, the Member for Namatanai and Governor for New Ireland Hon. Walter David Schnaubelt and Member for Kavieng and Minister for Treasury Hon. Ian Ling Stuckey jointly funded the design for the entire West Coast Central Highway of 198km starting from Fangalawa Juntion in Kavieng to Bo Junction in Namatanai. Design has been completed and approved. Following that, the National Government has acknowledged the initiative taken by the Districts to demonstrate seriousness about the West Coast Central Highway by jointly funding the design. In honoring the Districts commitment on the West Coast Highway, National Government has made the commitment to fund the first 30km of the West Coast Central commencing this year. 

Of the 30km commitment, 15km will commence from Burukalai to Kokola in Namatanai and the other 15km will commence from Para to Belifu in Kavieng.  

On a positive note, works on Kavieng Side has already commenced and is on target to complete sealing of first 8km by September 16th 2025. The opening of first 8km will coincide with 50th independence Anniversary Celebrations. 

On Namatanai approach, the contractor has mobilized and just commenced works. It is forecasted to complete the project in December, 2025.

New Ireland Governor Hon. Walter Schnaubelt and Member for Kavieng Hon. Ian Ling Stuckey have welcomed the project as the one that will impact the lives of people of West Central Coast and will certainly improve economy in the province. The road will also unlock the potential for tourism to thrive as West Coast Central is the Host of some of the beautiful sites in the Country. They have given their absolute support to maintain the strong partnership with Department of Works and Highways to see this Impact project through to its completion.

This is under the Connect PNG Program for the New Ireland Corridor with the funding from the National Government.

Under Marape-Rosso Government, the Connect PNG road infrastructure program is touching the lives of people across the country and the people of new Ireland are seeing it after 50 years with the construction of the West Coast road, one of the many forgotten roads in the country. 

Department of Works and Highways is managing the project and we thank the New Ireland Government and Kavieng DDA for the partnership. 

Minister Solan Mirisim commended the partnership and calls for other Provincial Governments and DDAs to share resources and responsibilities in the efforts of infrastructure development. 

Secretary for Works and Highways, Gibson Holemba thanked the cooporation between the Department and New Ireland Government in ensuring that the Road Management Performance Agreement (RMPA) is being implemented in this partnership agreement. New Ireland, Eastern Highlands, and Madang Provincial Governments are the main partners that are currently implementing the RMPAs whilst other provinces are yet to implement their RMPAs.