New compo law drafted

NATIONAL NEWS REPORTS

A PROPOSED law to outlaw compensation claims along roads in the country is at the end of its drafting stage and will go to Parliament for approval.
Once passed by Parliament, it will be illegal for anyone to erect structures along the 20m corridor of any road or highway.
Compensation claims by villagers living along the Highlands Highway, especially in Chimbu, has become a major concern, with the government already forking out over K100 million for these villagers.
But it has emerged that a lot of these claims are fraudulent, and an investigations launched has pointed to the involvement of government officials as well.
The proposed law is one of the five transformational bills for land, air and sea transport improvement initiative are in draft stage awaiting certification.
Minister for Works, Transport and Civil Aviation Don Polye revealed this whilst officially opening the annual Highlands regional Consultative Implementation Monitoring Council (CIMC) forum in Goroka last Thursday.
The bills Polye is confident of getting passed in the next Parliament sitting, are small craft safety bill, transport sector information collection bill, the Civil Aviation Authority amendment bill, four more environment protection bills against oil and toxic chemicals and 20m corridor road infrastructure bill.
“These are very important bills that will enable for better, safer, secure and flourishing transport sector for PNG,” Polye said.
On a similar note, the Works and Transport Department has a Protection of Transport Infrastructure Act 2010 before the Parliament yet to be passed.
Copies of the act circulated at the forum at the University of Goroka’s Mark Solon Auditorium pointed out protection of road reserve land, protection of transport infrastructure and other offences.
Notably, the bill stated that any one found guilty on demanding for compensation or other payment for transport infrastructures would commit an offence that is punishable by a fine not exceeding K500, 000 or a term of five years imprisonment.

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