Address fuel issue now, association warns

THE ongoing fuel supply issue could derail, set back or otherwise adversely affect businesses across the country if authorities cannot adequately address it, Farmers and Settlers Association president Wilson Thompson says.
He said this following Air Niugini’s cancellation of all its domestic flights last week (Jan 5) after Puma Energy suspended the supply of fuel due to a lack of foreign currency in the country.
“We have farmers that are using air freight to supply major supermarkets, resources project sites and hotels and it’s around the country and these would result in farmers not getting paid while consumers would miss out.
“Similarly, we have the major food processing industries that rely on air transport in shifting workers and skilled personnel from our various manufacturing sites to Lae and Port Moresby.”
Thompson warned that the Government needed to address the situation effectively because an inadequate solution would see a recurrence of the problem.
“We need to address this fuel issues as it would not be the end as this is likely to recur,” he said.