Landslide affects mining town

Business

By MARK HAIHUIE
LANDSLIDES along the Highlands Highway are affecting the supply and price of goods for the people and business community in Porgera.
The Porgera Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Nickson Pakea, pictured, told The National that this was to be expected at this time of the year and that the district had adjusted to such situations in the past.
“The major landslide in Chimbu will cause havoc to the district because Porgera is at the very end of the Highlands Highway,” Pakea said. “The bus fare is K40 from Pogera to Hagen unlike before when it was K30.
“And the bus fare in the district has gone from about a K1 to K3 in a short space of time.
“The landslide has already caused problems with some of the prices of goods and services already tripled such as transportation cost and fuel price. Even our PJV (Pogera Joint Venture) mine will also face problems as the operations depend on fuel, food and other supplies from the highway.
“The highway is the life line to businesses in Porgera and the operations of the mine.
“So the mining community, the people and businesses will suffer from this landslide on the highway.”
Pakea said the issue was a recurring one and hoped that the Government would intervene.
“The LNG, Kutubu and Pogera depend on this vital road link. The Government will have to make sure the projects are operating and receiving supplies from Lae and Hagen,” he said.