Caption: Transport Minister Ano Pala
By
MATTHEW VARI
THAT was
the message from Minister for Transport Ano Pala, when addressing the Land
Transport Board meeting last week, at the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby.
Minister
Pala attributed most of the problems faced in Port Moresby and other centers,
in terms of the Public Motor Vehicles (PMVs) system and vehicle regulations
were caused by the current systems that were in place at present.
He pointed
out that it was not in the best interest for political interference in all
sectors of government, however, when systems were not functioning well
intervention was imperative to address issues in those sectors.
“I have
always held a view that governments are always there to introduce laws and set
the policies, and the systems are there to implement those policies- if there
are problems, than those problems are the problems that arise as a consequence
of the systems and the laws we have,” he said.
“I was
asked many questions about what I was going to do about taxis, PMVs, about their
uncleanliness and safety- all sorts of questions related to the transport
system.”
“My response
was that these are problems that have existed for a long time, and are problems
I cannot solve as a minister- they are problems we must accept collectively.”
He added
that to address those problems a systematic approach should be used and
properly funded to address the issues.
“It is not
for the Minister to go out and make all the statements to criticize the
industry, and even rubbish the taxi drivers and the PMVs- we must collectively
accept the state of the system we have at the moment.”
Pala revealed
that the establishment of the new Road Traffic Authority was one such move his
department had undertaken.
“The
solution I proposed was a structural one, and that structure will now be the
law, it (Road Traffic Authority legislation) has been approved by Cabinet and will
go before Parliament in May,” Pala said.
“As governments
and ministers we go and come, but the systems remain to address the concerns of
the people.”
“It is
hoped that that structure will be effective enough to address those problems.”
The new
Road Traffic Authority will merge the functions of the Land Transport Division,
Land Transport Board, vehicle registration function that are with the Motor
Vehicle Insurance Limited, and the National Road Safety Council.
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