Resident pays for rubbish clearance

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Monday 6th May 2013

 A RESIDENT of Goroka town’s Lottery Park has been so concerned that she dug into her own pocket to clean up rubbish dumped there over the last couple of years.

Lillian Peri hired a loader and a dump truck to clear the rubbish last Friday.

She said Lottery Park was a beautiful family outing area in the early days but rubbish and long grass needed clearing and some beautification work was required.

Peri has cleared rubbish for the third time after authorities had failed yet again.

She bought bags of cement, a permanent lawn mower for the park, two  drums of petrol and hired labour and bought rocks for a  stone walls last year.

She said piles of rubbish dumped there posed a major health risk for residents, especially children.

Former Eastern Highlands governor Aita Ivarato, who passed by during the rubbish-clearing commended Peri for her initiative, lead and work.

“If responsible authorities lack capacity for the upkeep of the park, I suggest they contract the job to Mrs Peri who is showing great interest for the park using her own resources,” Ivarato said.

He pointed out that all the top provincial administrative positions were filled by acting officers and Ivarato called on the provincial government to put more money into the Goroka Town Capital Authority to clean up the town thoroughly so that it is more pleasant for residents and visitors.

Residents at Lottery Park include professionals such as doctors from Goroka Base Hospital, managers from the Coffee Industry Corporation, the post master, politicians and the Goroka National Court resident judge. 

Longtime resident of Lottery Park Hubert Pokana praised Peri for her voluntary work and expenses to tidy up the area.

He said as he grew up and played at the park with people such as Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, captain Locklyn Sabumei, the government’s Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc, Justice Panuel Mogish and many other prominent people in the country.

Pokana said it was not in the best interests of the residents to see the area used as a dump.

He thanked Peri for paying for the upkeep of the park.