Moresby burns

By REBECCA KUKU
FIVE persons were shot dead, at least two major supermarkets were razed, shops were looted, businesses closed down, as mayhem almost forced Port Moresby to its knees yesterday – because of a public servants’ pay “glitch”.
Opportunists took advantage of a stop-work protest by some members of the police force over unexplained deductions in their fortnightly pay yesterday, to burn and loot shops.
Shopping centres affected included the Stop & Shop in North Waigani, Rainbow and Badili (looted and burnt), Eliseo in North Waigani and Hohola (ransacked), Brian Bell Warehouse in Gerehu (looted), Gerehu Shopping Complex (looted and burnt).
Shops in Boroko, Hohola, Tokarara, Sabama were also ransacked.
City Pharmacy Limited founder Sir Mahesh Patel said it was a “sad, sad, sad day” for the nation.
The company owns the Stop & Shop chain of supermarkets.
Police Commissioner David Manning said the “glitch” in the Government’s Alesco payroll system yesterday had “hurt a lot of people”.
“This should not have happened. It is disrespectful to police officers and other affected public servants,” he said.
The National Executive Council yesterday approved a defence force call-out for soldiers to assist police restore order in the capital city which was still in a state of chaos late yesterday.
Prime Minister James Marape said the confusion arose because of “an oversight by Government payroll people who did not upload our budget approved K20,000 non-tax paying threshold”.
“Without this update, the non-tax paying threshold reverted back to the original K12,500 level hence the deductions,” he said.
Marape said the Government apologised to the businesses which faced losses yesterday.
“Government took note of your losses, and we shall look at a tax relief measure to recover some losses,” he said.
Marape urged citizens to protect businesses in the capital city.
“Business houses pay taxes which pay for your children’s school fees as well as the salary we all earn. Let us protect them,” he said.
Port Moresby General Hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi, told The National, that as of 5pm yesterday, five persons were confirmed dead from gunshot wounds. Others were treated for gunshot wounds.
“We have 13 major cases: two chest, one thorax, one with multiple wounds and about nine with limb and abdomen wounds,” he said.
“And the hospital is on emergency response alert activated at 12pm (yesterday). We are expecting more people to be brought in.
“Staff members have been told to stay inside the hospital premises and be on the alert for mass causality response.”