Agency aids PNG Red Cross

Main Stories, National
Source:

The National,Monday 11th of February, 2013

By MIRIAM MALAWA
THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has presented US$50,000 (K102,000) to the PNG Red Cross Society as relief support for Western Highlands, Jiwaka, Morobe and Central.
US Ambassador to PNG Walter North issued a disaster declaration on Jan 25 after reports of the widespread floods and offered to provide immediate relief assistance.
PNG Red Cross Society secretary general Esmie Sinapa thanked USAID and assured North that the funds would be used for detail assessment of the affected areas.
She said while the government looked at the infrastructures, facilities and utilities affected by disasters, people’s needs were overlooked in many cases.
Sinapa said that was where humanitarian organisations and other partners came to help when the people were not able to support themselves.
“This year we have gone out to get support and we were fortunate to receive support from the Northern (Oro) governor for Northern province, but unfortunately we have not received support from four other provinces,” she said.
“The funding from the US ambassador will help us look in detail the needs of people,” Sinapa said.
The ambassador said the US government expected local authorities to continue to respond to the needs of disaster victims.
“When I see the energy of the red cross, your volunteers throughout the country responding to neighbours with timely assistance, I see the face of PNG that speaks to the future,” North said.
“And that’s the kind of PNG we want you to enjoy because that’s the example we want PNG to see.
 “They should not be seeing the front page of newspapers with horrible socking events.”
“They should see the front page of newspaper of citizen choosing to be helpful, choosing to be part of a solution and choosing to make a difference in the communities.”