Chinese Government provides $3.2 million grant for Papa Lealea Road Upgrade Project (Linked to Record ID#39326, ID#61186, ID#64168, and #61187)

Project narrative

In 2004, the Chinese Government provided a $3.2 million (PGK 10 million) grant to the Government of Papua New Guinea for the the Papa Lealea Road Upgrade Project. The purpose of this project was to construct an 18.6 km highway from Papa village to Lealea village in Central Province. The road leads to the site of the China Eximbank-financed Refined Salt Factory Construction Project (captured in Record ID#64168) and the site of the China Eximbank- and China Development Bank-financed PNG Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project (captured in Record ID#39326, ID#61186, and #61187). Beijing Municipal Construction Group (also known as Beijing Municipal Engineering Corporation) was the contractor responsible for implementation. It signed a construction contract in November 2004. This followed the May 2003 completion of a project feasibility study. On March 16, 2005, a groundbreaking ceremony was held. The ceremony was attended by Kairuku Hiri member Sir Moi Avei, Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Arthur Somare, the Chinese Ambassador Li Zhengjun and Road project team leader, Li Jianjun. The project was completed at an unknown date. The project was completed on November 4, 2005, and handed over on November 11, 2005.