Govt okays K1.9m loan for ENB

EAST New Britain is one of the first provinces in the country to secure K1.9 million from the national government to pay all its 60 retrenched officers this year.
The provincial administration secured the funding from the Department of Treasury when the retrenchment exercise started last year.
But because of a funding delay from the government, which had been tied up with payments for retrenched Defence Force workers and others, the East New Britain officers listed for retrenchment remained on the payroll.
The province only received the funding last month.
Sixty per cent of the retrenched officers are from the health sector.
Last week, retrenched health workers were paid off their outstanding entitlement followed by others and, as of last pay day, all retrenched workers were officially off the payroll.
Deputy provincial administrator policy planning and evaluation, Bernard Lukara issued a challenge to retrenched health workers to use their experience to set up small facilities within their community and provide help to people within their respective communities.
He commended them for upholding the code of ethics in providing basic health services in East New Britain and the country.
Lukara said some of them had 20-30 years of experience that could be used to practice privately or commit to their nearest health centre.
He told them to spend wisely on the savings from their working life.