Businesses slowly recover as river rises

BUSINESSES in Tabubil are slowly recovering after a slump last year, a business operator says.
Gazebo Club manager Simon Tropai said the slump was caused by the downscaling of operations and staffing at the Ok Tedi mine late last year because of the dry weather conditions.
Tropai said the workers were coming back to the township and business was picking up again.
“Our supplies come in from Port Moresby through the Fly River. The river level was going down and it was difficult to be supplied not only for us but also businesses in Tabubil and Ok Tedi,” he said.
“That was the time when there were a lot of jobs lost because of this downscaling by the mine. But last year around August, September the river level was up again and people were brought back slowly.
“Now business is picking up with the mine. Last year it was 300, now it is 500.”
He said the business activity in the mining township was dependent on Ok Tedi operations.