Tribe wants K700,000
The National, Wednesday October 30th, 2013
By ZACHERY PER
PNG Power Ltd (PPL) has been slapped with a K700,000 compensation claim for the death of a 10-year-old child and hospitalisation of his two older brothers.
The family’s home was burnt to ashes as a result of the company’s alleged failure to reconnect electricity to their house in Chimbu.
In a mediation session at the Kundiawa Police Station yesterday, the people of Kapma-Mak tribe, of Mata village, in Sinasina-Yongumugl district, presented a K712,000 compensation demand to PNG Power Kundiawa branch manager, Billy Rabila
The demand was for the death of John Tangila Kale, 10, an elementary school student, and hospitalisation of his older brothers Wan Kale, 13, a Grade 4 student at Ku Primary School, and Kobale Kale, 19, who is doing Grade 11 at Kerowagi Secondary School. The two brothers who survived the fire suffered severe burns.
Relatives gave PPL until Jan 29 to pay up. The fire occurred on Aug 27.
Kapma-Mak tribe spokesmen, Conrad Utne and Steven Kumul said the blaze was caused by PPL failing to reconnect power to the house after John Kale’s father had paid his outstanding electricity bill.
Rabila accepted the demand and handed it over to the Chimbu provincial peace and good order committee to deliberate on.
Rabila presented K2,000 to the family and relatives in bel-kol money witnessed by the provincial peace mediation team with chairman Sgt Joe Wakai.