Quake funds not used, says PM

By REBECCA KUKU
THE February 2018 earthquake disaster funding is for rebuilding key infrastructures in Southern Highlands and Hela, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says.
O’Neill clarified that the K450 million allocated for the Feb 26 earthquake was for three years and not one year.
He made the statement following concerns raised by Hela Governor Philip Undialu, who called on the Government to stop the blame-game and tell the people where the disaster funds had gone to.
Undialu said US$50 million (K169 million) was obtained from the World Bank purposely for the disaster and K106 million cash donations plus the K450 milion that was promised to the disaster-affected areas by the National Executive Council had not yet been released to the trust fund account of the disaster areas.
“It’s been more than a year now and we are tired of the blame game. People died, homes were destroyed and to this day we have received only K1.5 million so we are asking where is the K450 million that was promised to us and where is the K106 million cash donations?” he said.
“Even the 2019 budget has no allocation of earthquake disaster funds, this is a crime against humanity when leaders misappropriate funds allocated to help people affected.”
O’Neill said the Government had been spending money since 2018, including the World Bank loan fund, which was PNG government fund for infrastructure and officials were working on design and tender documents and will be spent this year. “It’s not a handout money and must go to rebuilding key infrastructure in the two provinces that were affected,” he said.
Disaster and Emergency controller Dr Bill Hamblin said the Southern Highlands and Hela governments, including Undialu, met early this year to discuss how the US$50 million would be used.
“This money has yet to be transferred to the Emergency Trust Account from Treasury,” he said.