The first ever Provincial Stakeholders consultation workshop on the PWD Medium term planning and its linkage to the NSDP, Public Roads Policy, MIPU Corporate Plan ,medium-term Expenditure Framework and the road prioritization tool, took place in all the six provinces starting from Torba to Tafea between 23 and 30 September 2020.

The Roads for Development Program Phase 2 (R4D2) supported the Ministry and Department of Public Works in this Consultation Meeting.

The Consultation gathered key stakeholders representing provincial government officials, Chiefs, and Persons with Disabilities and general road users.

The Meeting attendees participated in an exercise on how the road prioritization tool works and they discussed the different criteria for prioritising roads. The information was uploaded to PWDs Project Management Information System (ProMIS). This is to ensure that across all six provinces, there is current and up to date information on all roads including which roads rank as priority for upgrading works over the next 5 years.

During the official opening ceremony of the consultation meetings in Torba, the Provincial Project Officer, Mario Woleg, emphasised the priority that the PWD  places on this consultation saying, “ Ideas discussed during the consultation process will be useful for the development of infrastructure in Torba Province”. Mr Alick Loas , who facilitated the consultation in Sanma Province said ,” the participants are happy about PWD involving them in this consultation meeting, he mentioned they were not aware of the challenges PWD has been facing before, however they are happy they are involved in this stakeholders consultation and they are informed of the challenges that they PWD is facing”.

Stakeholders Consultation Meeting in Sanma Province Facilitated by Alick Loas and Hendry Wells

Stakeholders’ at the Consultation in PWD HQ in Port Vila facilitated by Louisa Shim George and James Hakwa