Service providers turn on district treasury

A FIGHT almost erupted yesterday in Mt Hagen among unhappy claimants and service providers from Western Highlands’ South Waghi district who had waited whole day to get their payments.
They said they had submitted genuine claims for various infrastructural development works they had carried out in their communities using their own money and resources.
However, not satisfied with the way the payments were made, they almost got into a fight with those in authority yesterday.
When The National arrived at the scene at about 3pm, the rowdy crowd had quietened down and a few claimants paid.
It was understood that about 8,000 claims, totalling K18 million, had been lodged with the district treasury office.
Reports said local MP Jamie Maxtone-Graham had allocated K2 million to the district treasury office with 370 claimants receiving their money yesterday.
However, many said the amounts paid to them were less than their stated claims.
Frustrations among the claimants could have turned for the worse had the treasury office not been located within the Kimininga police barracks.
Police presence also helped kept the situation under control.
Those who were not paid were instructed that their claims would be processed next year.
Attempts to get comments from the Anglimp-South Waghi  district treasury office in Minj were unsuccessful.