New city hall construction underway

Caption:    PM operates an excavator to signal the start of construction

Caption:    Prime Minister O’Neiil being led on to the stage by tradition dancers

Caption:    (left to right) Governor Parkop, Malabag, PM O’Neiil, Tkatchenko, and City Manager Leslie Alu



By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, September 1, 2013 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)



PRIME Minister Peter O’Neiil, conducted the official groundbreaking ceremony for work to begin on the new City Hall, for the National Capital District Commission, last week in Port Moresby.

Those who witnessed the ceremony included; the Governor of NCD Powes Parkop; Minister for Health and HIV Aid and Member for Moresby North West Michael Malabag; Minister for Sports and National Events and Moresby South Justin Tkatchenko; senior management and staff of NCDC and city residents.

Construction on the new building is expected to be completed in mid-May 2015, before the South Pacific games will be held- at the cost K53 million the building will complement the older smaller city hall that has been in use for the last 40 years.

In his address, the PM congratulated the Governorand his team on achieving the milestone of having a new building that is solely owned by the capital city’s authority, emphasizing the need for more state owned buildings.

“The government aims to cut down the cost of renting buildings by state institutions.”

“Each year we (state) spend K200 million to rent other buildings, as if we are visitors in this country-we must aim to make sure that our state institutions have their own buildings,”the PM said.

The groundbreaking is an achievement that took years to finally be achieved, according to the city’s manager Leslie Alu, who said that it took the commission six years for construction to begin.

Saying the new building will fit positively inline with the restructure the commission is also undertaking over the next few years- not to mention the boost in staff morale.

Governor Parkop referred to the building as being a grand building, not a grand hall, but one the city residents should be proud of.

He outlined all the many projects the commission has undertaken so far in the city, from the many road upgrades, providing scholarships for youths, and building infrastructure in schools to now giving the commission a new face with the new building.

“We are balancing the need for this new city hall with the desire and pace of the city at the moment.”

“In 2015 when the city hall is completed, it will show the confidence we have in achieving the status as a model city in the country and the Pacific region,” he said.

Mr O’Neiil added that the government would support the commission in helping it achieve the status, making mention of a total K700 million put for road works this year up till 2015 in the capital city on top of the K800 million already earmarked for the 2015 Pacific Games preparations.

Other major developments to be undertaken in the city includes the relocation of the mainport, military bases, extension of the famous Ela Beach front, upgrading the water and sewerage systems, providing adequate housing, and the granting of land titles to settlement residents.

The PM concluded the ceremony by operating an excavator to signify the start of construction to begin by Chinese Railway Construction Engineering PNG Ltd under the guidance of the project manager Creative Works.