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| Border shame! | |
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By ELIAS NANAU PNG Government officials working at the Wutung border post in Vanimo, Sandaun province, have resorted to using facilities provided by the Indonesians because they do not have the resources to do their jobs effectively. Lack of resources like telephone and facsimile services, photocopy and electricity supply was a daily occurrence at this PNG/Indonesia border post. Government officials have also complained of manpower shortage to properly screen people and goods entering and leaving the country. NAQIA officer specialising in plant and animal disease Benedict Ambasi was forced to speak out on this, saying that the Wutung border post is as important as Jacksons International Airport, and the Government must not ignore it. His call was supported by his workmates. Telephone lines at the border post were cut off a month ago. Work has started this week to reconnect the service. Mr Ambasi said they cannot use the computers and photocopying machine because there is no electricity supply. As a result, officers have to travel for an hour to Vanimo to use these facilities. A generator set recently installed is of no use either. On the other side of the border, Mr Ambasi said their Indonesian counterparts were well equipped and better resourced to monitor and do surveillance work. n To page 2 The offices - police, NAQIA and Customs and Immigration - at Wutung are opened seven days a week due to the large number of people travelling to Indonesia and other Asian destinations and those coming to PNG. Mr Ambasi said after their lines were disconnected, the officers resorted to using the Indonesian Telkomsel mobile phone service to call Vanimo and Port Moresby. He said unless the situation improves, their ability to monitor and counter smuggling of arms, drugs, plants, animals and illegal immigrants was seriously at stake. |
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