IN an effort to revive Madang, Town Mayor Peter Masia, alongside his team of councillors and administrative staff from the Madang Urban Local Level Government (MULLG), embarked on a crucial mission to Port Moresby.
Their goal: to gather insights and strategies to improve the management and planning of Madang, a town with untapped potential but lacking a comprehensive development plan.
Mayor Masia emphasized the urgency of this initiative, stating that: “The MULLG, which oversees the main Central District Business (CBD) in the province, has been operating on an ad-hoc basis for over 20 years. Our visit to Port Moresby aims to observe the developments in the National Capital District and gain insights on how we can also develop a plan for MULLG.”
Highlighting the significance of structured planning, Mayor Masia pointed out the absence of vital roles such as town planners and engineers within the MULLG, as well as the need to finalize key administrative positions.
“MULLG has a key role in looking after the town and province, but currently, we do not have a town planner or engineers, and the Madang administration positions are not finalized as well,” he said.
Earlier this year, the Provincial Government launched its integrated plan, which MULLG unfortunately missed out on.
Mayor Masia stressed the need for a development plan that aligns with the Provincial Plan and the Medium-Term Development Plan 4 (MTDP4).
“Madang will never be the same; it will change. But we need to have a plan to achieve our goals,” he added.
During their visit, the delegation’s first stop was at the National Capital District Commission (NCDC), where they met with City Manager Ravu Frank. They also visited the Ombudsman Commission and several project sites under the NCDC’s purview.
“Our visit here is not a joy ride but an opportunity to understand and see for ourselves the changes happening in Port Moresby. As the fastest-developing city in the country, it was fitting for us to sit down with Mr. Frank and discuss how we can incorporate concepts and ideas for MULLG,” Mayor Masia explained.
While acknowledging that transformation requires initiative and careful planning, Masia noted that “Change does not happen overnight”.
“We are here to observe so that when we return, we can put together a plan for the MULLG and present it to the Governor and the administrator.”
The mayor also addressed criticism regarding the budget for the trip, clarifying that it was planned and budgeted for.
“Before we go into elections, we have to put something together for others who are coming in and not to work on an ad-hoc basis. It’s sad for me as a leader to see that the MULLG is working without a proper plan, so we are here to bring that change back,” he emphasized.
The visit included discussions on specific projects such as waste management and suburban development schemes.
“We talked with the NCDC city manager and looked at some projects, especially waste management and suburban schemes. I really want to look at the suburban scheme where NCDC is planning. It would be good for us to incorporate it,” Mayor Masia said.
Despite challenges, Mayor Masia remains optimistic about Madang’s future.
“We are understaffed at MULLG, but we are working with what we have to get things running. We won’t build Port Moresby in Madang, but at least we get some ideas on how to do things,” he said.
