A larger vessel, a barge, is being designed to service the Bougainville Atolls of Nissan, Caterets,Tasman, and Mortlock. Photo: AFP
The member for North Bougainville in the Papua New Guinea national parliament, Francesca Semoso, has unveiled a series of transport projects for the constituency.
These include the upgrading and sealing of the Buka Ring road.
A larger vessel, a barge, is being designed to service the Bougainville Atolls of Nissan, Caterets,Tasman, and Mortlock, while in the meantime, small craft are being made available, using five million kina obtained by the previous member, William Nakin, who died in 2022.
Semoso told New Dawn FM she is looking at developing the airstrips in Nuguria, Nissan, Sabah and Torokina.
Funds have also been allocated for the upgrading of the Buka airport.
She said it is hoped that this work can resume as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the Bougainville government is hoping to cut diesel use by 30 percent by adding solar generation to their power supply system.
In a two stage operation, in partnership with the Australian government, the current diesel power infrastructure is being upgraded while 335-kilowatt-peak-power of solar generation is being added.
Australian high commissioner to PNG, John Feakes, said the project will have a positive impact for business, health, and education sectors.
"We love doing business with the ABG because you help us give land, that makes these projects viable for us and doing business with your administration is very easy, so these projects are going ahead," he said.
President Ishmael Toroama has called on the traditional landowners to use such opportunities to harness a brighter future for Bougainville.
