Japan gives K7mil-plus worth of machines for disaster relief

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MORE than K7 million worth of equipment have been given by Japan to the Department of Works and Implementation.
The donation from the Japanese International Cooperation System was for disaster relief in some provinces.
A total of 24 machines were presented to Works and Implementation Minister Michael Nali by Japanese ambassador Satoshi Nakajima.
National Planning and Monitoring Minister Richard Maru and Works Secretary David Wereh were also present.
The equipment included bulldozers, dump trucks, graders, front-loaders, excavators, crushers and three boats.
The assistance was discussed by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Japan in 2015.
The funding for the equipment came from Japan’s non-profit grant aid programme to help the Government strengthen its capacity to overcome natural disasters and build infrastructures for economic development.
The Japanese government through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency in 2014, gave 48 machines to the department worth K24 million.
Nali said the equipment would be used in areas prone to natural disasters such as East New Britain, Northern, Western, Sandaun, Madang and Southern Highlands.
Nali said the boats to be used in emergency rescue operations would be placed in the care of the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs.