Vanuatu’s annual road maintenance budget of between VT1.6 billion and VT1.7 billion is not enough to maintain the country’s growing road network, with funding often redirected to urgent repair and improvement works.
The issue was highlighted during discussions on road infrastructure, where Government officials said the current allocation is insufficient to maintain nearly 3,000 kilometres of public roads across the country.
Director of Public Works, Andree Iatipu, said maintenance funding is frequently used to address roads that have become impassable, particularly during heavy rain.
“The maintenance budget is mainly intended to fund routine maintenance. However, we often have to spread those funds across many areas. When roads become impassable during the rainy season, we have to redirect the money to improvement works such as concrete crossings, graveling and periodic maintenance.”
Mr Iatipu said Vanuatu has 2,829.07 kilometres of declared public roads, placing significant pressure on available maintenance funding.
The discussion also highlighted road safety concerns, particularly in urban areas where some roads have been upgraded without dedicated footpaths for pedestrians.
Bright Construction owner Anthony Loli, whose company is currently upgrading the Lingping–Seaside road in Port Vila, said pedestrian safety should remain a priority in future road projects.
“We have seen that many things need to change to improve the safety of people who use our roads every day.”
Minister for Infrastructure and Public Utilities Xavier Harry said the diversity of Vanuatu’s road network makes maintenance more expensive and requires greater investment.
“We have to understand that our 2,912 kilometres of roads include earth roads, gravel roads, concrete pavements and asphalt roads. Each type requires different maintenance methods and different costs. That is why the current maintenance budget is not adequate to support the country’s entire road network.”
Government officials say increasing investment in road maintenance will be critical to improving transport infrastructure, ensuring safer roads and reducing costly repairs in the future.
