Delay in opening of border post irks Dihm

THE Citizenship Advisory Committee is concerned with the delay to the opening of the new Wutung border administration complex along the PNG-Indonesia border.
Committee chairman William Dihm said the Asian Development Bank-funded K90 million complex built by the Border Development Authority was expected to be opened a year ago.
Dihm, who is the acting Foreign Affairs Secretary, has promised to take the matter to the National Security Advisory Committee as the delay is frustrating efforts to enforce respective duties so the movement of people  and goods is better managed along the border.
Committee members include Justice and Attorney-General Secretary Dr Lawrence Kalinoe and Chief Migration Officer Mataio Rabura.
Wutung councillor Raphael Tungla told the committee that the complex would be opened once water and electricity supply for the Wutung village were completed.
“That is the thing that is holding the opening of the complex.  Under the national court mediation held by  judge Ambeng Kandakasi in September 2014, we came up with an agreement that priority projects needed to be completed.  The mediation was held with BDA and landowners. So far, electricity is 70 per cent completed but water supply is yet to be done,” Tungla said.
“I am assisting BDA to complete the social components which is a requirement of the ADB-funded projects.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Inter-government Relations Minister Leo Dion said that the complex was expected to be opened in November this year.