Local: Compo for cat a disgrace

A COMMUNITY leader in Southern Highlands has described the K12,000 compensation claim for a dead cat as “a joke and disgrace to the people of Nipa and Southern Highlands”.
Konda Napu of Utupia village in Poroma, Southern Highlands, condemned the compensation claim by Jeffery Kopeap of Pulim.
“I strongly and totally condemn the compensation claim by a lazy man who has nothing to do to sustain himself. Calling for compensation over a cat is a disgraceful and laughable claim.
“Does he know that an insane and uncivilised Kopeap has tarnished the reputation of the people of Nipa and Southern Highlands?
“We are hard working people who live by sweat and hard work and do not claim compensation over a dead cat, which has no value.
“I call on Kopeap to take the initiative and work hard to look for money to feed himself and his family and not to go asking for compensation from people and businesses.”
“ because it is not part of our life.
“We do not claim for compensation over little animals like cats, which do not have value in any way.
“How can he compare the life of a little cat and a human being? 
“It is a disgrace and I call on him to go and hide in the bush of Pulim because his people have a record of fighting over tanget,” he said.
 “This is a stupid and laughable compensation claim. It has badly tarnished the name of the people of Nipa and Southern Highlands.
“We Poroma people who live along the main highlands leading to Kutubu oil, Hides and other gas projects and even Nipa do not claim for compensation.
“We are hardworking people who produce and work our land to produce the best vegetables and coffee and make our living.
“We do not ask compensation for dead cats that probably cost K5,” he said.
Napu called on the police to arrest Kopeap for disturbing the travelling public and businesses.
He said Kopeap’s K12,000 claim for a cat had made them the laughing stock of all Papua New Guineans and the world because it had been printed in The National newspaper.