Site inspections planned for disaster-prone areas

National

By PHOEBE GWANGILO
SITE inspections of Manam Island in Madang and other places around the country affected by natural disasters will be done soon so that issues facing people there can be addressed, Inter-Government Relations Minister Kevin Isifu says.
Isifu revealed this when responding to questions on the progress of the Manam Resettlement Bill to assist islanders displaced by the volcanic eruption over a decade ago.
“All the restoration authorities will do site inspections to find out about their current status — which ones are completed, which are still pending and those which need to be wound down and handed back as completed projects by the government,” he said.
“We will be doing site inspections in two weeks’ time and we will make necessary recommendations to the government as to how we will move forward to address each and every one of them.
“After our inspections, a plan will be set and attended to by the Manam Restoration Authority.”
Isifu said that Schouten Islands in his Wewak electorate, which had been affected by global warming, were also a top priority for his department.
“The Schouten Islands are isolated. These part of my electorate is a priority as regards provision of services.
“At the moment, we are trying to identify what is necessary and important as a first step forward to providing services to them.
“After compiling our findings, we will start to assist the Schouten Island people,” Isifu told The National.