Digicel phone blackout keeps West Sepik districts offline

PEOPLE from Telefomin and Oksapmin in West Sepik have been cut off from communication services since May, says an official.
“There is no communication, no cash flow and no store goods in the area,” said Lewis Warike, a senior public servant who is assisting the West Sepik administrator on special duties.
Warike said Telefomin Secondary had suspended classes on Monday and Oksapmin High School administration was also planning to suspend classes this week if nothing was done to address the issue.
He said, public servants and teachers have not received their salaries since June.
“Public servants and teachers at Telefomin and Oksapmin cannot access their pays because there is no digicel network,” Warike said.
He said, BSP and Westpac agents depended on the network to withdraw and deposit cash.
The schools have assisted in giving rations to help the teachers and was running low on school supplies, he said.
Warike said the Sandaun administration in its provincial executive meeting last week declared the area as a disaster zone.
He said the administration had written a proposal to the government to assist with supplying rations into the area.