Minister calls for govt to stay alert

By TREVOR WAHUNE
THE 7.5 magnitude earthquake this week and the recent volcanic disasters have reminded the Government to be always alert, says Minister for Inter-government relations Kevin Isifu.
“The earthquake in Hela and Southern Highlands, the Kadovar volcanic disaster, and the Manam disaster have shown to the government that it must not only respond and react when disasters strike (but) but it should develop capability and capacity to respond to disasters in the most affirmative, effective, and efficient manner.,” he said.
Isifu said the damage to economic assets such as the PNG LNG project production and processing plants, trunk roads, and cash crops were going to affect business activities in the two provinces.
He said the Government would look into how to minimise the effects of the earthquake on the people of Hela and Southern Highlands.
“As for future disaster operations related to earthquake, I will receive the report from the disaster assessment team through the director of disaster office, and will announce both policy and institutional operational actions that will be undertaken for similar disasters,” Isifu said.
He directed the national disaster office and the government’s disaster operations to attend to the disaster in Hela and Southern Highlands.
Isifu also directed the national response team to join the national assessment team in the two provinces.
Isifu will table in Cabinet a policy submission to attend to the earthquake disaster in the most affirmative manner so that no more lives are lost and to ensure the safety of people in the disaster zone.
Isifu said the submission was to ensure the people of Southern Highlands and Hela received proper earthquake relief.