Leaders meet with service providers to discuss payments

By EREBIRI ZURENUOC
A MEETING was held yesterday to address the issue of outstanding payments to service providers attached with the Lae Urban Local Level Government Council.
The meeting between Lae MP John Rosso, Lord Mayor Koim Trilu Leahy and representatives of the service providers resolved that contracts under the rubbish collection (sanitation and garbage) section will be screened and paid.
The meeting was called after service providers went to the council office on Tuesday and threatened to lock the gates if payments were not made.
Rosso said it was the council’s duty to pay them because it had awarded the work.
“It is not my job to pay you. But as the Member for Lae I have to do something about it,” he said.
“There is no proper management in the council and it is not functioning as it should be.
“I appeal to the Lord Mayor to work with me to get rid of corrupt people.”
He said the first payments would be made to the sanitation and garbage contractors – outstanding for more than five years. The city council owes more than K17 million to service providers.
Joe Fege, representing more than 30 garbage collectors, said they had been going every day to the council office to be paid.
“They always tell us to come back tomorrow,” he said.
“This has been the case for more than two years.
“All of this wouldn’t have happened if we had been paid.”