Nippon Causeway

worth the millions

Kiribati’s longest causeway was officially opened on the 9th June 87, at 3 pm. Wife of President Nei Meleangi Tabai cut the ribbon while a 6 year old girl from the Dai Nippon Primary School in Betio unveiled the monument, which o *. D • ■ n The Betio Bamki Causeway and Fisheries Channel donated by the Government of Japan as * . f a token ot tnendship and co- r j « Pe K a T n tQB7 pan iMnoan, iw/.

In giving away the completed . . 3 , , p. K , project, Japan s Deputy Ambassador Mr Naboro Hara, who is based in Suva, wished the people of Kiribati a vast improvement in economical and overall development with the completion of the Causeway, which he says, will improve transport efficiency.

Kiribati’s Minister for Transport and Communications, Mr Uera Rabaua in responding to

Mr Hara said the project is the biggest infrastrature ever under taken in Kiribati. He also said it required a large working force of more than 400, most expen sive too. The Japanese Govern ment spent more than SAIO million to complete it Mr Rabaua named the cause way the Nippon Causeway to remind the people of Kiribati of the people of Japan and Gov ernment who funded it. The Fisheries Channel was named Nei Tebwa (Miss Rock) Chan nel to signify a Tarawa legend of the site where the passage was located.

The Minister explained that it took the Dai Nippon Construc tion Company 14 months to finish the project, designed by another Japanese Company, The Nippon Koei. The 3.4 km sea road was first started way back in 1976, by an Australian Construction company, with funds loaned from the Asian

Development Bank.

The Australians left the pro ject unfinished and the Japan ese Government showed its interest to finish it. After more research and surveys actual work on the present causeway began on the 19th March, 1986. The project was com pleted 14 months later on the 31st May, 1987.

The whole structure is actual ly a mass of sand all inside special plastic bags. There are cement and iron sheets reinforcements and the outside is sealed with 6 inch thick cement. The electricity wire, telephone and water pipes stretch the whole length, con necting both sides of Betio, the main commercial centre and Bairiki, the main administration centre.

The Minister emphasised that transportation and movements between Betio and Bairiki are now an easier task. The Gov-

emment will benefit from it as well as the general public. At average speed one can cross the 3.4 km causeway in just 5 minutes this is about nine times faster than the ferry service which usually took 40 to 45 minutes to cruise between the two ports.

Meanwhile, The Shipping Corporation, stopped the ferry the day after the opening be cause no-one wanted to travel by boat. Earlier the Corporation said it will maintain the service but the manager Captain Tom Murdoch changed his mind im mediately when his staff re ported that no passengers turned up the next morning.

Captain Murdoch has also stated that the two boats will be for sale very shortly if the Corporation can not find any use for them.

Straight after the opening, official transports, private cars and motorbikes formed the long motorcade moving to wards Betio and return.

The next day local fishermen crossed the channel without worrying about the tide.

Navigational aids for the night times have been placed to safe-guard the fishermen when entering the channel.

Small boys with 1 to 2 metre long fishing rods have found a favorite spot at the channel which according to one of them, has plenty of fish, espe cially in the night. And as the small boys enjoyed their hob bies a gang of motorcyclists from Betio sped across the bridge searching for their enjoy ments at Bairiki area, and even right to the Otintaai Hotel which holds its dances at the weekends. from Batiri T Bataua, in Tarawa. #P/M inaduertentley described President Tabaias Prime Minis ter in the photo caption on page 17 July PIM.

The Ferry service which was replaced by the new causeway between Betio and Bairiki