Lae officers warn against con artists

By RONALD BULUM
A GROUP of conmen, covered in mud as if in mourning, have been approaching relatives of victims of the mv Rabaul Queen disaster to donate cash for legal fees.
The group had been spreading the word that they had found a way to claim insurance from the government and the shipping company.
They were going around settlements from 12-Mile to Bumayong soliciting amounts between K50 and K100 from the relatives so that they could claim compensation from the national government and Rabaul Shipping company.
Relatives, who live at the Busu Compound, said the men even carried around with them a list of persons who were still unaccounted for from the disaster.
They believed that the list was a fake – and had not given any cash.
A senior executive of a company had warned the Morobe provincial government of the con artists.
A senior officer from the Morobe provincial administration had warned people not to give them any money.
He said only the sub-committee on information and co-ordination management would deal with “anything regarding missing persons”.
“These are opportunists going about trying to con grieving relatives.”
He said anything regarding compensation would have to go through the proper channels after compiling a missing person’s report and comparing it with the list of survivors.
“At this stage, it would be premature to discuss compensation when all matters have not been thoroughly investigated,” he said.
“Please do not be fooled by con artists.”