Acting Chief Secretary to Government Ivan Pomaleu today handed over K8 million (K4 million respectively) to the CPL Group and Eliseo under Phase 3 of Government Assistance to businesses affected by the January 10 riots last year.

The cheque presentations took place at the Office of the Chief Secretary, Melanesian Haus, Port Moresby.

In his remarks before the presentation, the Acting Chief Secretary informed the press that the phase 3 of the government support is to help businesses who qualify, after stringent screening process supported by the PNG Business Council and the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He said phase 3 is to support those businesses whose properties were destroyed during the riots to rebuild their business properties to not only provide goods and services to the people but also to help them create employment for Papua New Guineans.

“It’s important just to continue to clarify that we have a working relationship with the business coalition that comprises the PNG Business Council and Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry in an operating arrangement that all claims for payments are processed and the business coalition signs off on those claims before they come to our team here in the department to process,” Mr. Pomaleu said.

“We continue to encourage compliance with all business regulations so while we are indebted to companies that may have lost businesses during the riots, we must continue to be consistent in terms of our conversation and requirements relating to government compliance.”

Mr Pomaleu informed the press that the total funding made available to assist businesses by a National Executive Council is K270 million.

He said by end of this round of payments, the government would have spent K101 million from the K270 million. Phase 3 assistance is valued around K51 million and after the handing over of the cheques today, the total value paid under Phase 3 so far would be K31 million (including the K25 million paid last week).

There are about four phases to the government assistance. Phase one is the wage support that was paid last year to cover wages for National employees, estimated at around K8.7 million. Phase 2 is payment to businesses who qualified to get government assistance to remove debris from their properties which were destroyed. In phase 3, funding is now being made available, again to those businesses who qualify, to rebuild their business infrastructure. Then will come phase 4, this is having dialogue with the businesses and commercial banks to make available concessional loans to businesses who qualify under the government assistance scheme to have access to those loan facilities.

Responding to questions from Post Courier, the Acting Chief Secretary informed the press that funding for this assistance comes from the Government and is a budgeted item.

He also informed the press that government is unable to absolutely ensure that there is no repeat occurrence of such a tragedy because we are dealing with people who are living beings and have the qualified right to decide on what action they want to take in such situations.

Mr. Pomaleu concluded by saying all the government can do is appeal to the good sense of the people to think about how such events can affect them, their families and communities before they take any form of action.