The Papua New Guinea Government's announced immediate funding of 18 and a half million US dollars for the rehabilitation of the roads in the second biggest city, Lae.
Our correspondent there says the announcement by the acting Prime Minister, Don Polye and the Treasurer, Peter O'Neill, follows a longstanding request from the provincial government for the roads to be fixed.
Oseah Philemon says the government's pledged to provide another 18 and a half million US dollars in the 2011 budget.
He says the roads are in terrible shape and the initial funding will at least allow some repair work to get underway.
"You've never driven on any roads like this in your life until you come to Lae city. They're really bad. There are potholes everywhere. Just about every bit of road and street are just carved up by potholes, really bad. And Lae of course gets a lot of rain every year and that's even made it worse."
Our correspondent in PNG, Oseah Philemon.
