Let’s set aside a national day of mourning

IT is with a heavy heart that I write this.
With each passing day, the authorities will gradually scale down their search for survivors from the ill-fated mv Rabaul Queen that sank last Thursday until it is finally called off either this weekend or early next week.
The number of survivors remains at 246 and, since then, only five bodies have been recovered in other coastal provinces far away from the original location where the vessel sank.
It is now a week since the worst marine disaster in our country happened.
Hopes are now fading fast for more survivors to be found alive.
The ship was not suitable for the current rough weather conditions. 
The government must now hold a national day of mourning and later, a collective memorial service for all the 120 or so passengers onboard the Rabaul Queen who may have perished.
I also remember asking some people in authority last year regarding the APNG plane crash victims to hold a national memorial service to mourn for the passengers who perished last October.
But sadly, I did not get any feedback at all. 
This will be the same unless we all make a lot of noise so something gets done about improving general maritime safety (likewise for air safety) in PNG.
I praise our Lord for the survivors and pray for all the passengers who lost their lives last Thursday.
May they rest in eternal peace.

Reginald Renagi
Via email