Company wants govt to declare state of emergency along h’way

MAJOR trucking companies, small businesses and the travelling public are suffering from continuous violence along the Mendi to Tari section of the Highlands Highway due to lawlessness, a trucking company director says.
Trans Wonderland Ltd (TWL) managing director Larry Andagali has reaffirmed his call for the Government to immediately declare a state of emergency between Mendi to Tari section of the Highlands Highway or issue a callout operation with “shoot to kill” orders.
“TWL, which is one of the major transportation and logistics companies that provides transport support services to important projects operated by Oil Search Ltd and ExxonMobil PNG Ltd in Hela and Southern Highlands, has stood down its trucks because of escalating lawlessness along this section of the highway.
“These are projects which are critical to the country because they include companies such as us who contribute immensely to government coffers in the annual budget to deliver goods and services to the people.”
Andagali said due to ensuing tensions, people from the Nipa and Poroma areas to the west of Mendi could not go into Mendi town or pass Mendi to travel into Mount Hagen.
“Store goods and fuel have run out for those living along the Poroma, Nipa and Margarima areas.
“As a result, villagers and criminals have been holding up the travelling public, small business owners, PMVs, and company supplies passing through the area. They have stolen store goods from trucks, robbed passengers on PMVs and stopped our trucks hauling supplies for ExxonMobil PNG and Oil Search Ltd operations in Hides and Moro and drained fuel from trucks,” he said.
Andagali said when their trucks broke down, villagers came out with containers to drain off fuel from the trucks and robbed the drivers.
“Our trucks continue on from one hold-up area only to run out of fuel in another section of the highway prompting us to arrange security and rescues which are extra costs to our operations.
“So we stopped all our truck operation since last Thursday and we have 12 trucks held back in Hides, 10 trucks in Moro to return back to Lae, and 18 trucks with cargo for ExxonMobil PNG and Oil Search Ltd held back in Mt Hagen.”