Government must be serious about the Wutung Border Post

PNGBLOGS

Opposition Leader Hon. Belden Namah has demanded that the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Inter-government Relations solve the problems at the Wutung Border Post once and for all.

Mr. Namah was reacting to claims that 10 youths were locked up by security forces at the boom gate guard house and when they were released, they set fire and burnt down the guard house as well as the boom gate. They were allegedly locked up for consuming Indonesian-made spirits at the Trade Centre and returning rowdy. Access to the Skouw-Wututng Trade Centre remains closed indefinitely.

“It was only a short while ago that former Foreign Affairs Minister Don Polye said he was going to do something about the airspace incursion by Indonesian citizens. Nothing has come out of that statement.

“I want this scandal-plagued government to know that the problems at Wutung-Skouw Border Post and Trade Centre are far from over, and nor are they likely to go away in the foreseeable future. These problems now need direct political attention by responsible line Ministers.

“The so-called Provincial Intelligence Committee is so good at writing reports after reports. What has come out of those reports?” Mr Namah asked.

Mr Namah wants the Chairman of that Intelligence Committee to explain the very long liquor ban which is affecting the very low income generation initiative of the Sandaun Provincial Government, and suggested that this is a cheap and lazy solution to a basic law and order problem that the Provincial Police Commander can handle. “Is this the Provincial Administrator’s wisdom following some reliable intelligence or is it a decision based on religious impulse?”

“Sometime ago, I went on Radio Sandaun, complaining about the wanton killings that are going on in that once-peaceful town. The Governor rebutted that it was an isolated incident. But look at it, killings are still going on.

“Is the liquor ban directly related to these killings? Will it solve further killings?” asked the Opposition Leader.

“I agree that a liquor ban is necessary if it achieves the desired effect. They have now made many innocent citizens and business houses suffer through a prolonged liquor ban. Putting a ban simply means the Provincial Administrator has no other alternatives to solving the problem. This reactive and crisis-management style of administration has to stop.

“The Wutung Border Post is a serious issue. And since the problems have been ongoing for a very long time, it simply shows that provincial authorities are incapable of solving them, let alone the lack of national attention at the political level.

“This is why I demand that the acting Prime Minister directly intervenes by despatching the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Inter-government Relations to Vanimo to appreciate the range of issues and problems on the ground.”