By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK in Popondetta
SECURITY forces and the Provincial Disaster Committee are looking at upgrading the 40km road to link Gona and Popondetta in Oro province.
Gona will now be upgraded to be a sea port to serve as the entry point for much-needed supplies to get to Popondetta for distribution throughout the province.
There have been no supplies going in to Popondetta since last week due to the closure of the Girua airport and the Oro Bay seaport.
The road linking Oro Bay and Girua has been cut off after sections of the road and bridges were washed away by flood waters.
PNG Power has put out a blackout schedule to ration electricity to town residence.
However, there is no water supply as the dam had been damaged by the flood.
Residences are now using nearby creeks to shower, do their laundry and for drinking and cooking.
Meanwhile, the security force liaison officer Major Nick Henry yesterday urged the Oro provincial government and administration officers to cooperate with the security forces to provide services to the disaster-affected areas.
“We (security force) must not gamble with people’s lives by playing petty politics. We have to put aside any differences for the suffering people’s sake,” Major Henry said.
“We will be working 24 hours to help coordinate the situation on the ground.
“We want to establish a coordinating centre so that we can organise the movement of manpower, logistics and supplies.
“We are not going to solve the problem but we will help the people to overcome this disaster.”
Major Henry said this when he met with Governor Suckling Tamanabae at the Popondetta General Hospital.
Major Henry and four Defence Force officers are on the ground with 30 members of the police mobile sqaud.
“It is likely that a company of the engineering battalion and a platoon of infantry soldiers will be arriving later on,” Major Henry said.
Meanwhile, Mr Tamanabae, in welcoming the security forces, said the presence of the security forces was good because people were becoming impatient and were at the breaking point.
“And when they reach that point they can do anything.
A state of emergency has been declared in the province, thus, the security forces will be taking the lead in managing the situation.