Restoration team to start work

The emergency disaster restoration team set up by the Government will start operations today after the release of K150 million, says emergency controller Dr William Hamlin.
He said this yesterday when revealing the team’s functions and members.
Hamlin heads the team comprising Finance Secretary Dr Ken Ngangan, Works and Implementation Secretary David Wereh, Acting Defence Secretary Trevor Meauri, Hela administrator William Bando and Southern Highlands acting administrator Thomas Eluh.
Food has already been transported to Mt Hagen and work has started on roads.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill last Thursday announced a state of emergency for earthquake-affected areas, approved K450 million for relief operations and to restore services, as well as the formation of the team and establishment of a restoration authority.
“There’s a trust account being set up which the secretary for Finance (Dr Ken Ngangan), secretary for Works (David Wereh) and I are the signatories to,” Hamlin said.
“That trust account will have a monthly reconciliation.
“There’ll be a purchase order system where any supply will get a purchase order from us, and on the basis of that purchase order, we will pay.
“If there’s no purchase order, there’s no payment.”
Hamlin said the first K150 million of the K450 million was released by Government “and I can assure you that it’s real money”.
“The rest of the money is over a four-year period,” he said.
“I expect that K150 (million) to be the total for this year.
“The needs analysis now shows that we’ve vastly underestimated the cost.
“But at this stage, we think that figure’s appropriate.”