Apec teaching PNG how to respond to disasters

PAPUA New Guinea is learning much from other Apec economies on how to respond quickly to natural disasters, says an official.
National Disaster Office director Martin Mose said after the 14th emergency preparedness working group Apec meeting in Port Moresby on Saturday that PNG could adopt aspects from these economies and tailor to suit the country’s setting.
“Make it suitable for our people so that we can better serve them,” he said.
“They are the people that are locked out there in the rural areas.”
Mose said reaching the people in rural areas was always difficult in PNG in terms of logistics and good governance.
“We need to strengthen collaboration at the national level right down to the district development authority and ward levels,” he said.
“We have to have that understanding.
“It can make our job much easier and we can save lives faster.”
Managing director of Climate Change Development Authority Ruel Yamuna said discussions focused on using scientific information, managing real time information and dissemination of information to the communities.
“We (PNG) are prone to natural disasters, earthquakes, wildfires and droughts,” he said.
“This information and this exchange of views and case studies is something that will really benefit us in the long run.
“With the recently launched and endorsed disaster framework 2017 to 2030 by the National Disaster Centre, I am confident that now we have the policy platform to coordinate efforts in a time of crisis going into the future.” Mose said Papua New Guinea had some important technologies at the Rabaul Volcano Observatory and the Department of Geohazards Management, even though they were old.
“Yes, they have been in existence for quite a while,” he said.
“Of course, we are now moving to high tech where you need to have money.”
Moses and Yamuna are looking forward to the senior disaster ministers’ meeting in Kokopo on Sept 25-26 to address PNG’s disaster needs.