Islanders facing food shortage

 THE people of Vakuta Island in Milne Bay have been facing food shortage since last week, provincial disaster coordinator Steven Tobesa says.

He was briefed about the situation by villager Sapera Libai who travelled to Alotau to seek assistance from the provincial government.

Libai said their food gardens were affected by the drought and they were living on whatever they could salvage from the gardens.

Tobesa said during the height of the drought, Vakuta Island had adequate garden food supplies and even assisted others by supplying them food.

Tobesa will meet with the provincial disaster committee to organise some funding for food relief supplies.

Kiriwina-Goodenough MP Douglas Tomuriesa has been informed of the situation and sent a boat-full of food to the island.  

Tomuriesa said he would hire another boat to take more food supplies to the island this week.