THE people of Kuare Local Level Government (LLG) in the Ialibu-Pangia District have been given a “lifetime gift” with the opening of the Yalo Unity Bridge and the Rindita-Kuare Road, projects that promise to transform the lives of these long-neglected communities.
Speaking at the opening ceremony last month, the president of Kuare LLG, Roy Rondopa Keru, thanked the Marape-Rosso Government and the Pangu Pati for these significant infrastructure developments.
“On behalf of the forgotten people of Kuare LLG, I want to thank the Marape-Rosso Government for the lifetime gift of the Yalo Unity Bridge and the Rindita-Kuare Road projects,” Keru said.
“These projects will provide vital road access, connecting the remote people of Kuare with Ialibu-Pangia, Kagua-Erave, and the rest of the outside world.”
For decades, the people of Kuare have lived in isolation at the far end of the Ialibu-Pangia and Kagua-Erave districts. According to president Keru, these new infrastructure projects are a major milestone under the government’s Connect PNG Program, bringing much-needed relief to the rural population.
“Since independence, no major development has taken place in Kuare by any government. Only in 1980 did Mr Pundia Kange, a former Minister and MP for Ialibu-Pangia under a Pangu Pati-led government, deliver a health center in Kuare,” he said.
“Many former MPs, including the current MP for Ialibu-Pangia, have dreamt of delivering the Yalo Bridge. Thirty years later, under another PANGU-led government, Prime Minister James Marape has added to the party’s legacy with the Yalo Unity Bridge and Rindita-Kuare Road Project.”
The road and bridge projects have been hailed as a game-changer for the people of Kuare, who have endured years of walking and trekking to access basic services.
Keru said that the new infrastructure marks the beginning of a brighter future for his people.
“Our future starts now, and my people and children from the 17 council wards of Kuare will never be the same again,” he said.
“The only way to truly thank the government is for our people to return to the land, cultivate crops, and use the new road and bridge to sell them at the market and earn a living.”
The Rindita- Kuare Road and Yalo Unity Bridge are set to have a profound impact on the region:
• The drive from Kuare to Mt. Hagen will be reduced from 4-6 hours to less than 2 hours.
• Lives will be saved, as the treacherous crossing of the Yalo River will no longer be necessary.
• Business activities in agriculture and trade will see a significant boost, along with the availability of daily goods and services.
• The new road will pave the way for power and communication infrastructure to reach the area.
• Access to education, government services, and other essential amenities will be greatly improved.
“The new bridge symbolizes a new era for the people of Kuare, who have been deprived of development for nearly 50 years since independence,” president Keru said.
