Transportation – A Struggling Factor In Middle Fly District, Western Province

Balimo is considered the heard quarters of Middle fly district, where most nearby villages look to for basic services like Hospital, banking, law & order, schools & etc. Though been considered the heard quarters it still suffers from run down and struggling vital services like Banking, Hospitals – low in drugs, Transportation – roads & airport & etc.

The Balimo airport was closed down for sealing and has been sitting idle since than, makes travelling to other centers very difficult. Only means to travel by air is by Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) through Kawaito to Daru or Hagen and Tropicair to Port Moresby. MAF flights schedules are always awkward, Tropicair one-way fare costs are too high for most people to afford so it’s only a handful take this route. Parents sending off kids to school, families travelling back and to after holidays now travel by sea to Daru and fly off to there desired destinations because this is the cheapest but a hard, dangerous and costly option.

 Roads have been run down by port holes in town and gravel wearing off. Highways linking nearby villages still remain unsealed for instance Dogono, Tai, Adiba, Badi, Wasua & Kawiyapo highways. Badi, Wasua & Kawiyapo highways are now the frequently used highways people are using to travel to and fro. These highways stretch more than 100 to 200 kilometers and people travel by foot. The frequent used one is the Badi highway which is a bit close. Since the close down of airport this has been the only way in & out from and to Balimo. Also travelling by sea all the way around to Daru which few use it is also costly, hard & dangerous during bad weathers. Through these Journeys few deaths have occurred and till now people still risk lives travelling.

Airport sealing project went on hold due to misuse of funds and it reminds mystery till now. Upgrades of town roads were in talks but went quiet (probably due to misuses of funds again). Sealing of highways were in talk but work done happened to be locals engaged in hard labour just for a lousy pay-packet for rice & tin fish so the roads are back to their old states –  over grown by bushes

The funny thing is that the local MP for the Middle fly district happens to travel through this route often but is oblivious to all its problems while his very own people struggle to the fittest under his very nose.

These are simple vital services that really need upgrades instead been oblivion making people to suffer. We’ve seen quiet a number of posts regarding these issues even before the election. I mean this won’t be the first, second or third time of someone emphasising on such issues. When people travel home for holidays and experience the situation they get to air the message out. These are people who are seeing the struggles or have been through have spoken out. Yet there seems to be no changes because why? Most of them are not in the position to make changes so are just airing the message so the responsible people who are in the right positions can see hear and do something about it. 

Unfortunately no responses been heard and no changes been seen.