K68mil to spend on quake relief effort

NATIONAL Emergency controller Dr Bill Hamlin says they have K68 million to spend on earthquake relief efforts in the provinces affected by last month’s earthquake. This follows the donation of K6.5 million by the Porgera gold mine operator Barrick Niugini Limited in Port Moresby yesterday.
“We are using this money to purchase food and helicopters flights to conduct assessments and deliver relief supplies to the affected communities,” Hamlin said.
“We have bought 400 tuffa tanks to distribute to communities facing water shortages for them to store water.”
Hamlin said relief efforts were now reaching the remote areas of Hela, Southern Highlands and Western.
“We are supporting Missionary Aviation Fellowship which Porgera is also supporting to fly in and deliver services there and it is still ongoing.
“Oil Search Limited is also doing the same thing.
“We are moving into humanitarian areas that concern health and vaccinations have been cleared by PNG Customs and have been sent to the affected areas as we speak.
“These vaccines are to keep people healthy.
“Not only are we concerned about them but to keep them healthy and well because it is important to keep them healthy as well”.
Hamlin said the restoration team was made up of the secretaries of Finance and Works Departments and the team had been very effective.
“We still got those suspected bogus claims and they have been sent back to the suppliers.
“The suppliers are told to redo their claims as required and these claims are being vetted very carefully by the secretaries who have to sign off and certify before they are been paid.
“So that’s why we have K68 million in the account because these clams have been vetted properly.
“The onus is on us in making sure that we get the claims corrected.”