Nurses want keys to homes

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday 03rd April 2013

 By ELIZABETH MIAE

NURSES in Port Moresby want to occupy their homes at Gerehu as soon as possible, a union official said.

PNG Nurses Association NCD branch president Frederick Kebai said they planned to disrupt health services if matters related to the housing project were not resolved soon.  

He said the matter had been brought to the attention of the health minister and secretary and even debated in parliament. But the National Housing Corporation (NHC) is taking a long time to hand over the keys to the houses. 

“Failure to hand over the keys will see a disruption of services at the end of this month. It should be resolved at a round-table meeting,” he said.

“Payment was done to NHC five years ago and whatever their corrupt practices are, they shouldn’t keep the nurses in suspense.”

He said the national health executives were also slow in resolving the matter. 

Health secretary Pascoe Kase said yesterday that while they wanted the nurses to occupy the houses, disrupting services would be unfair to the people. 

He said they had already met with the nurses union’s national executives on the matter and received the minister’s backing.

It was now up to the NHC to release the houses to the nurses. 

“We are only trying to help and we support the nurses but there is no need to disrupt services,” he said.

The issue was raised at the union’s national executive council committee meeting in Port Moresby last month. 

National president Sr Eimi Kaptigau told the gathering that K3.867million was paid to NHC for the 18 houses and K1,800 to the Department of Lands and Physical Planning for the title to be transferred to PNGNA. But that has not eventuated. 

NHC acting managing director John Dege said the delay was because they were yet to settle an outstanding payment to the builder, Roadstoa Construction. 

He said the original contractor, Kwajo Construction, completed only 45% of the work.

Dege said the previous NHC board then engaged Roadstoa for K3 million to complete the construction. They did but returned a bill of K4 million inclusive of outstanding payments and variations. 

“Due to lack of funds, NHC drew up a PIP (public improvement programme) submission in 2010 for additional funding to offset the bill brought in by Roadstoa.”

“The PIP submission is still pending in the national planning department.”