Polye riled over Taurama Road payout

The awarding of more than K100 million to the Taurama Road construction project to a company owned by those in power has angered Opposition Leader Don Pomb Polye.

Polye claimed Global Construction Company which, has been awarded most of the projects in the city, has again been given the green light ahead of other Papua New Guinean-owned companies.

“Is this because this company is owned by a cabinet minister,” asked  Polye.

“This is corruption at the highest level where a project to the tune of over K100 million is being awarded to a company owned by a state minister and PNG’s taxpayers are being forced to repay billions of kina in loan obtained for these projects,” Polye said.

Polye questioned Sports Minister Justine Tkatchenko’s involvement in awarding this contract to this particular company.

Tkatchenko who this week launched the multi-million kina road project also came under fire from Mr Polye for the incomplete structure at the Sir John Guise stadium.

“Why has Tkatchenko rushed over to launch the controversial Taurama road project without even completing the Sir John Guise stadium which is partially sitting on scaffolds,” Polye questioned.

“The Minister and his Prime Minister gave an undertaking that this stadium would be completed prior to the Pacific Games. Today, part of the stadium sits on scaffolds. Even the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium is still under construction,” he said.

He described this as corruption and waste of taxpayers’ money.

He questioned why the Government is paying more attention to developments in the city while the rest of PNG is experiencing deterioration in all major roads.

Polye urged the people of PNG to scrutinise the Government.

“Loans worth billions of kina are obtained in the pretext of infrastructure development and these funds are selectively diverted to companies owned by ministers which are awarded the contracts.

“Taxpayers are then made to fork out of their pay to service these loans,” Polye said.

He said loans for NCD roads were commercial and that a hefty interest rate would be repaid.

“It is a doing of someone who is economically illiterate.

“Those involved are deliberately committing the state or the city commission into more debts,” Polye said.