By GINNAH MINI
Prime Minister James has asked the districts and provinces to make immediate response and address people’s needs in the El Nino and prolonged dry season as they wait for the government’s support.
Responding to Kerenga Kua’s question in parliament today about whether the government can frontload District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) and Provincial Services Improvement Program (PSIP) funds for disaster relief during the El Nino, Mr. Marape said that the government is fully assessing the situation and will have facilities on stand by for assistance.
“In the meantime, we are asking districts and provinces to asses it right away and make immediate response as we wait and if the situation goes big, we will overlay it,” Mr. Marape said.
Prime Minister Marape acknowledged that DSIP and PSIP funds are available to all provinces and noted the request by Mr. Kua for frontloading.
“For this year, you would all be receiving for district support programs K10 million at the bare minimum,” he said.
Mr. Marape has asked all District Development Authorities (DDAs) and all provincial executive councils to have the flexibility to address the people’s needs where they are at this time.
He assured the parliament that by the end of December 31st 100% of the K10 million district funds will be going to all provinces.
Asking the question in parliament during question time today, Mr. Kua has asked the Prime Minister and government if they can frontload DSIP and PSIP by K3 million per district and K5 million per province for proper planning and to provide relief to the people.
“People in the villages are expecting us to respond as a government; for the issues that they will be facing during this prolonged dry season,” Mr. Kua said.
Mr. Kua has raised this question as the National Weather Services has said that the El Nino will last up to nine months and the country is already three months into this dry season, which will greatly affect the people of Papua New Guinea.