NEC APPROVES EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR DISASTER IN MARITIME PROVINCES

FOR RELEASE – Thursday, 11 December 2008

The Prime Minister, Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare, today conveyed his deepest sorrows to families that have been affected by the high tides and waves that have hit some of the Maritime Provinces around the country.

In today’s emergency meeting, NEC has approved up to K50 million but immediately released to The Disaster and Emergency Services K20 million to provide relief assistance to people in affected areas.

Sir Michael said, “I know many homes have been destroyed and islands, beachfronts and villages in New Ireland, Manus, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, the two Sepik provinces and parts of Madang have suffered damage and serious loss of their properties.

“I will personally be visiting some of the affected areas over the next couple of days but urge open members from these affected areas to be on the ground to be of support to the families and to assess the type of assistance to give to your respective electorates,” said Sir Michael.

He further advised that Cabinet has given its approval for funds from members’ district improvement programmes can be used to provide relief assistance in each of the affected areas.

He said communications in some areas is slow resulting in the delay of official assessments from some of the Maritime Provinces.

In the interim, the Prime Minister advised that everyone in areas experiencing these high swells stay clear of the beaches and power lines on seafronts.

Indications from the National Disaster Committee and our National Weather Service are that our country is in the middle of a La Nina phase, where there are high seas which are generally normal this time of the year.

However the swells experienced over the last few days are far greater and the worst may not yet be over.

Sir Michael said, “I would like to urge everyone who is living along the coastlines of Maritime Provinces or on remote islands to move further inland or onto higher ground for safety.

I thank the PNGDF for the immediate steps that they have taken and call for cooperation among all relevant departments to make sure relief assistance is provided quickly to affected areas.

M T SOMARE GCL GCMG CH CF KStJ

Prime Minister