K14mil unpaid rentals put workers on street

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
OFFICERS of the departments of Lands and Health in Port Moresby were locked out of their offices yesterday because of unpaid rentals totalling almost K14milloin.
The Lands and Physical Planning Department owes K6million, and the Health Department owes K7.6million.
Lands and Physical Minister Justin Tkatchenko called for the sacking of Finance Department officers who failed to process the rental payments.
“The Finance Department let us down. One public servant not processing the claim is causing this embarrassment and disgrace,” he said.
“It is totally unacceptable. That officer must be terminated.”
A Lands Department officer who requested anonymity said the landlord should have warned them on Tuesday about the arrears and the plan to close the office.
Meanwhile a senior Health Department officer told The National that they owed K7.6milion.
“We are now waiting for the Finance Department to pay the landlord.”
The rental for all government offices are being managed by the Office Allocation Committee at the Personnel Management Department.
It is also understood that the Government Printing office has been closed for the past three weeks because of the same problem. It is holding up the printing of gazettal notices.