By MATTHEW VARI
Sunday, May 18, 2014 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)
NATIONAL Disaster Centre Director Martin Mose made the
comments when responding to remarks made by Governor for NCD Powes Parkop on
the need for an overhaul in the national disaster response system.
When presenting NCDC’s contribution towards the
victims of Cyclone Ita to the Governor for Milne Bay Titus Philemon last week,
Governor Parkop emphasised that the vital phases in disaster response of
relief, rehabilitation, and restoration have been poor because of a poor
management system in place.
He also made reference to the 2007 Cyclone Guba
disaster in Oro Province, which he said was a testament of the systems
inability to work effectively.
“The record is not good, as I mentioned we have
situations like Cyclone Guba where people are still living in the care
centres,” Parkop said.
“The relief program was a disaster itself- i’m not
sure if there has been any rehabilitation and there has been no complete
restoration.”
“Office of Disaster Management has to improve its
efforts.”
In an interview with Sunday Chronicle, the Director
for the disaster centre said that he respected the views of national leaders on
the issue, however, he said that the major issue was not funding, but the
availability of it in time to respond to disasters that occur with some or no
warning at all.
He explained that the red tape of bureaucracy
contributed also with the two level system of provincial disaster offices and
the national disaster office were in place to assist in times of natural
disasters.
“Provincial Disaster Offices are the first to respond,
and when they require more assistance the national office comes on board to
help,” Mose said.
“With the situation in Milne Bay my office made
available K100,000 immediately to conduct assessment flight via chopper of the
entire affected region, within the 24-47 hour response time.”
While thanking the government for its commitment of K6
million towards the affected islands- he said they were still waiting for the
funds to be released for their plans that have already been devised to begin
their implementation exercise.
“We have one of the best disaster response systems in
the Pacific Region and I do not think the system is at fault here,” he added.
He said with an average annual funding of around K3
million to oversee the whole country they were working within their means,
describing the system as a brand new car that did not have the fuel required to
run.
Mose was optimistic that the government was now
sensitive towards the issue of natural disasters, which was why they were now
revising the Disaster Legislation that will be finalised with emphasis on
enough lessons that have been learnt over the year.
For the case of Cyclone Guba in Oro Province, he
explained that the disaster centre did not have total control of the response.
“We led the initial assessment there and when the
Northern Province Restoration Authority was established they took over the
National Disaster Office’s role.”
“The same was with the situation with Manam
Restoration Authority, they failed their people not us.”
He called on those criticising to not make comments
without getting their facts right.
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