goodmorningpapua.com – The Association of Regents in the Central Mountains of Papua Province will send a letter to the central government to speed up the completion of the trans-Papua Road. The completion of it is expected to make the dependent of living in mountainous areas even cheaper.
A Chairman of the Association of Regents for the Central Highlands of Papua, Ricy Ham Pagawak, said that the opening of the road was very helpful, but it had not been fully utilized due to the difficult terrain. “This is a state road, not a provincial or district one. The state is responsible for completing it. We have a task. Our association will write a letter to the provincial and central governments to please finish this road quickly so that it can lower the prices of various basic commodities and products,” he said while in Wamena.
He admits that the opening of the road can bring in good things but also negative things such as liquor smuggling. However, it is the responsibility of the regents to suppress the negative impacts.
“With this road opening, of course we can also be influenced. Today transportation is still using airplanes so it is limited. But tomorrow by using a car via the trans road, all of the work of Satan and God’s work will enter. This is where we associations and regents in the mountains are responsible, ” he said.
In addition to writing to the ministry, the association of regents will coordinate with the former chairman of the association of mountain regents who is now in Jakarta, namely the former regent of Jayawijaya, John Wempi Wetipo. The regent of Central Mamberamo acknowledged that the Trans Papua Road is conducted every year by means of the state budget and is expected to be suitable for vehicles to pass in the not too distant future.
“Moreover, the former chairman of the association is in the ministry, so he has a responsibility. We will tell him to please encourage him to go faster,” he said.
Based on observations, until now the distribution of basic needs to the Central Highlands of Papua still relies mostly on-air routes at Wamena Airport. Furthermore, the distribution is carried out to the new districts through inter-district roads.