Page 24 - IB APR 2017

FisheriesDevelopment
Is Melanesia the new Asia with its chaotic traffic ills

n From PAGE 23 the main road that links the capital Suva
The bulk of the growth in the number to its airport town of Nausori, a 20km road
of vehicles in Fiji and the consequence which will be a four-lane thoroughfare
worsening of traffic is obviously the high when completed.
volume of new vehicle imports. Huge road works are also in progress IB sought the views of two of the
Imports of new vehicles for rental and near Honiara’s CBD with funding from Pacific’s urban planning experts on
hire cars recorded the highest growth in the Japanese Government. The Kukum Melanesia’s chaotic urban traffic
the years 2001 to 2014 with a 706 per Highway upgrade is costing SB$213million woes, its causes and probable solu-
cent jump. New vehicle imports for taxis (US$27.3m) to provide for a four-lane tions. Sara Mecartney works in Port
recorded a 337 per cent rise, and imports highway. “This, however, is not expected Vila, Vanuatu while Mere Naulumatua
of government vehicles had a 205 per to completely solve the traffic congestion is based in Suva, Fiji.
cent jump. in Honiara. Further upgrade of the rest of
Comparatively, Solomon Islands had Honiara’s main trunk road both east and IB: What are your views on traffic
modest growth of vehicle imports. Still, west side of Honiara is necessary as well conjestion in these Melanesian cities?
120 used vehicles imported each month as provision of an inner bypass road,”
is a major cause of traffic congestion par- Undersecretary Nuake added. MECARTNEY: My quick views on traffic
ticularly in Honiara’s single main road that “A short measure now is to regulate congestion – this is increasing in Melane-
links downtown Honiara to Henderson public buses - licence routes to restrict sia’s Capital cities (I’ve included Port Vila
International Airport. public buses in the central part of Ho- for this) and has been named consistently
“Two years ago, the number of vehicles niara. Regulating licences is the role of HCC as a local government priority since 2008
imported into the country was close to 90 (Honiara City Council). The Infrastructure (earlier in some cases). On the surface, this
vehicles a month,” said Jimmy Nuake, Development Ministry has assisted HCC in is partially due to rapid population growth
Undersecretary (Technical) with Solomon determining the bus routes but it is the role and demand for mobility; an increased
Islands’ Ministry of Infrastructure Devel- of HCC to implement such policy.” number of private and public vehicles,
opment. “Today, the latest statistics from PNG equally has invested heavily into dated road network systems that have not
Inland Revenue and Customs indicated new roads including the construction of a been upgraded with other infrastructure
a figure close to 120 vehicles a month. flyover that links the capital’s international (bridges, schools, medical centres, resi-
These vehicles if stacked together along airport Jackson to downtown Moresby. dential areas etc), poor public transport
the highway, would take up close to 1km The city’s municipal authority, the Na- systems and weak traffic management.
of road,” he said. tional Capital District Commission (NCDC) NAULUMATUA: I’d prefer if you used the
Same story in PNG where Road Traffic with the support of the National Govern- Greater Suva Area (Lami-Nausori corridor)
Authority’s acting CEO Nelson Terema said ment decided to build seven new roads as your city for Fiji because its the traffic in
the import of 10,000 vehicles per year is in 2013 with K400 million (US$126m) the Greater Suva Area that’s troublesome
fuelling road mayhem in the country’s main funding from the national budget and and not Suva City alone.
cities. Total number of vehicles in PNG is K300 million (US$94.4m) soft loan from
between 100,000 to 120,000. A statement the EXIM Bank of China. IB: What is this indicative of? Is it
from PNG Ports said from 2011 to 2014, The roads included Gerehu to Hanu- to do with uncontrolled population
the number of new and second-hand abada four-lane 10.7 km road built at the increase? Poor planning? Wealth
vehicles imported had remained steady cost of K196million (US$61.7m) ; Gerehu increase (as people can afford to own
despite the increase in duty. “The last four to 9 Mile four-lane 8km road (K122 mil- vehicles) Accelerated rural to urban
years had seen 44,052 vehicles imported lion (US$38.3m); Gordons Industrial migration? Or is this is just a normal
into PNG,” the statement said. “Rabaul in roads stage 2 (K85 million (US$27m); phenomenon expected out of a devel-
East New Britain shipped in 878 vehicles Kookaburra road connecting Sir John Guise oping, growing city?
between 2011 and 2014. Half of these were Drive to the Hubert Murray Highway with
imported last year reflecting the growth the flyover at the Erima Junction (K160 MECARTNEY: Melanesia’s present ur-
in demand for vehicles in the Islands re- million, (US$50.3m); Erima to 9 Mile 4.3 ban forms influence travel habits and pat-
gion. Port Moresby and Lae Ports handled km road with a four-lane bridge (K77 terns. Our Pacific Capitals are coastal and
20,764 and 22,410 imported vehicles.” million, (US$24.2m); Morea Tobo 1.2km often have limited options geographically
With thousands of productive hours lost four-lane and 4.7 km two-lane roads (K57 to introduce arterial roads or alternate
in rush hour in Melanesia, island govern- million, US$17.9m); and the K50 million routes to ease congestion. For Suva, Ho-
ments are scrambling to address the pan- (US$15.7m) 2 km Paga Hill ring road. niara and Port Vila who have mapped out
demonium. Building new and wider roads NCDC Governor Powes Parkop had said tsunami evacuation routes – congestion
seems to be the quick-fix answer with last December that five more new roads places the urban population at great risk
road authorities in Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon will be constructed in Port Moresby once with limited and compromised roads, not
Islands and PNG busy with major road funding becomes available. He said this to mention emergency services.
upgrade projects. will happen when they secure K300 million Whilst national governments may focus
Fiji Road Authority for instance is man- (US$94.4m) loan from Bank South Pacific. on improved connectivity and infrastruc-
aging a F$600million (US$289 million) Additional material: Sam Vulum in Port Mo- ture investment/intervention, transporta-
and one of its major product is widening resby and Priestly Habru in Honiara

24 Islands Business, April 2017