By MATTHEW VARI
IN light of recent events over the last week that saw the nation’s capital starved of fuel over the killings that occurred at Hanuaba- the National Capital District Commission is now considering contingency plans.
City residents have raised their concerns on the vulnerability of Port Moresby to various forms of issues that cause outages of vital utilities like electricity, water, and fuel, and other vital services.
When raised at a conference during the week to the commission- NCD Governor Powes Parkop confessed on complacency on the authority’s part in creating plans for the city as it moves to the 1 million population mark
“Those who are suppose to help us to deliver a city that is functioning well for residents and business houses in the city are failing us,” Governor Parkop said.
“This is something I have raised with the Prime Minister, I would like to see that NCDC must have leverage over vital utilities like power and water.”
“I have been considering plans for us to go into building our own capacity so that is in our consideration.”
He said that the capacities if built could also generate income for the city as well through supplying to current service providers to distribute.
“We can’t allow the city to be a lame duck where we don’t have any leverage over how much power and the reliability of water we can have.”
“The events in the last few days have made us to start looking at this- we have been complacent and taking things for granted that this kind of events won’t happen.”
“This is something that I hope that those in the energy department, police and everyone will start to plan so that we have a repeat of the situation where vital services like the supply of energy, fuel, electricity, and water to our people are affected.
He said talks will begin with PNG Power, police, Eda Ranu to have the plans for the various kinds of situation that could cripple the functioning of the city.
“It might not be a terrorist type of situation but a genuine expression of grievances but that can give rise to those situations where we are all gravely affected,” he said.
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