The National Government continues to honor its commitment to promoting and supporting businesses whose operations were affected by the riots on the 10th of January this year, with substantial financial support.

Chief Secretary to Government Ivan Pomaleu, on Wednesday 28th August 2024, presented over K7, 691, 000.00 to five businesses who were affected when our police personnel withdrew policing services over pay discrepancies.

The lapse in security gave rise to opportunists who took to the streets and burnt, looted, damaged, and stole goods from the shelves of shops. Several businesses lost their stock and properties when the public set them on fire.

Mr Pomaleu said such incidents ought not to be repeated in the near future as everyone, including those businesses affected, rely on a safe and secure environment for their businesses to operate, grow, create employment, and offer services to the people.

He said this before presenting a total of K7 691 222.15 to five different business houses whose stock and inventory, including buildings, were destroyed and affected during the riot and destruction.

“I have been saying to a few people now that as part of our restoration efforts we represent the intention of the National Government in helping those businesses and the need for them to restock inventory they have lost, the need to rebuild premises destroyed and burnt during the unfortunate incident of 10th January 2024.

“The cheque presentation today is to honor that commitment and to help you restock, restart, and pay wages & salaries to your workers who were also affected badly in the aftermath of the incident.

“The incident is what we were all not expecting. It came about as a result of a collapse in policing through a very public withdrawal of services by police officers over pay discrepancies”, said Chief Secretary Pomaleu. He said the National Government will continue to offer its support where it can and encourage all citizens to support our businesses as they provide employment, goods and essential services to our families throughout the country and pay tax revenue for the government to provide other services like health and education and infrastructure programs.

“So, we must continue to support and help build and rebuild business. We must also help build a society that can exist in peace and harmony without needing the presence and visibility of such government authority as police to hold us together.”

The businesses who were presented with individual cheque payments were SYZ Investment Limited with the highest of K6, 552, 802. 52 TC Company Limited for K399, 299.63, JYVX Limited K300, 000.00 Pacific Pest Solution K271,120.00, and Food Pro PNG Limited Trading as Buffalo Burgers K168, 000.00 all for the restocking the loss of inventory.

The final phase of this support is for the reconstruction of the properties and buildings that were lost in the fires.