Boat bringing fuel shot down, ministers strandard on island

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
TWO Cabinet ministers found themselves stranded on a remote island after people bringing in fuel for the helicopter they were going to use were fired at by security officers who thought they were pirates.
Transport Minister William Samb and Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister Isi Henry Leonard were stranded at the resort on Panasesa Island in the Conflict group of islands of the Samarai-Murua electorate on Monday.
On Sunday, security guards at the resort fired at the boats bringing in fuel on two dinghies for the helicopter trip by the two ministers to the Jomard passage.
Prime Minister James Marape had sent the two ministers to conduct an awareness on the Jomard passage project which could generate about K1 billion annually from pilotage fees to be charged on overseas vessels using the passage.
Leonard, the Samarai-Murua MP, said the crime situation in the province was making everyone suspicious of each other.
“People are not trusting anyone,” he said.
“And it’s making the delivery of government services difficult in the province especially in my vast maritime electorate.”
He said the resort had strict security measures because cruise liners travelled through there.
“They have their own armed security guards. And so whenever dinghies come to this island unannounced, they are on alert,” he said.
Leonard said the dinghies were to drop off two drums of aviation fuel for the helicopter to be used by the ministers.
“When the boys came in unannounced, the security guards opened fire at them,” he said.