Alotau, Kokopo groups arrive for sitting of parliament

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By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
THE two rival groups arrived back in Port Moresby less than 30 minutes apart from their respective camps in Alotau and Kokopo under tight security at the Jackson Airport.
The People’s National Congress party-led Coalition and the National Alliance party-led group have been preparing for the first sitting of the parliament today.
The People’s National Congress-led group arrived at the tarmac at about 4pm in a chartered Air Niugini Fokker-100 aircraft from Alotau.
There was tight security and the area was cordoned off keeping on-lookers about 50 metres away.
The members who all wore red T-shirts and black trousers hopped into four buses and were whisked away to their hotel.
The media was not allowed into the VIP car park at the airport to take pictures.
Only the reporters who were in the Alotau camp with them were allowed to take pictures of their arrival. The group was escorted to the Crowne Plaza Hotel under police escort.
At around 4.30pm, the National Alliance-led group landed.
The security remained tight but some members of the public were allowed to get close to the group to greet them.
The media was also allowed to take pictures of their arrival.
They were then whisked away in two buses to the Stanley Hotel immediately.
Both groups had organised their own working retreats this week outside Port Moresby in preparation for the sitting of Parliament today.