Priority must be given to host province

IT is encouraging to learn from The National last Friday that Telikom PNG and PNG Power are collaborating to complete the installation of the fibre optic cables between Madang and Lae through the its main generating facility at Yonki, Eastern Highlands.
As an Eastern Highlander, I would like to ask why such servi­ces are not provided or given pri­-ority to EHP as the host province of one of the biggest power gene­rating plants in the country.
The Yonki hydropower station supplies electricity to Lae, Madang, Ramu and most of the upper highlands provinces except EHP.
Our province deserves to be given priority.
Unfortunately, as host pro­vince to the biggest dam, we still are victims of constant blackouts almost every day and only a mere 20% of the Eastern Highlanders have access to electricity.
What a shame.
On that note, I call on those responsible to tell the people why the recently installed standby generator was not automatically activated during blackouts.
Please exercise some logic and common sense.
Don’t be blinded by money and business that is booming in those provinces but give priority to the local resource owners before other provinces.

Parks Ike Salanu
Goroka