Date:          Wed, 11 Feb 1998 10:47:17 GMT-1000
Subject: M-NEWS: (Fwd) 1181 DROUGHT: Summit attacks AusAID



Title -- 1181 DROUGHT: Summit attacks AusAID
Date -- 11 February 1998
Byline --Kevin Pamba
Origin -- <A HREF="mailto:niusedita-AT-pactok.net.au">Niuswire</A>
Source -- The National (PNG), 11/2/98
Copyright -- The National
Status -- Unabridged
-------------------
SUMMIT ATTACKS AUSAID

PORT MORESBY: Summit attacks AusAID

PORT MORESBY: The Australian international aid agency, AusAID, was 
yesterday the main target of criticisms by some Papua New Guinea 
provincial governors over alleged non-compliance with set procedures for 
carrying out relief exercise, the National reported today.

Leading the onslaught was chairman of the drought disaster relief 
committee and Eastern Highlands Governor Peti Lafanama who said that as 
chairman he had not seen a report from AusAID or any other foreign donor 
of their relief efforts to date.

Ironically, Mr Lafanama pointed out 10 serious discrepancies which were 
affecting the smooth delivery of relief supplies to the provinces.

Among others the National Disaster Act does not seem to have adequate 
Constitutional backing, there is drastic lack of communication and 
co-ordination between provincial authorities and non-governmental 
organisations operating within the provinces; and respective MPs are not 
using funds allocated to provinces.

Nevertheless, AusAID was singled out for not adhering to the various 
relief committees and government instrumentalities for the relief 
exercise.

Southern Highlands governor Anderson Agiru pointed out that AusAID was 
only carrying out relief effort in "provinces where major Australian 
businesses are" implying that as major aid donor its actions were unfair 
to the nation.

Mr Agiru said in high-risk and worst hit Highlands areas like Tambul, 
Kandep or Margarima there was no sign of the Australian Army and the 
Caribou (aircraft) loads of the much publicised Australian drought 
relief effort.

Chairman of governors, Francis Koimanrea of East New Britain said 
foreign donors like
"Australia, US and so on whether they are powerful or not should deliver 
their relief efforts under the legislative frameworks" of PNG. 

But he doubted at the same time whether PNG had a legislative framework 
to coordinate such emergency relief.

Mr Lafanama pointed out that legislative flaws were part of a number of 
weaknesses affecting the delivery of aid to worst affected areas of the 
country.

He said the Government's instrumentalities seemed to have been 
undermined by foreign donors as evident in this relief exercise.

He said that if these generous agencies reported and kept in touch with 
his committee or appropriate government organs it would have made the 
coordination of the relief effort a lot easier.

Mr Lafanama said many foreign donors, both large and small, seemed to 
have gone their own way with some facing difficulties such as at Customs 
leaving donations stranded on wharves.

He said the lack of reports to his committee of relief efforts carried 
out by foreign governments and non-government agencies including 
churches compounded the problem of lack of proper coordination.

He also said that the activities of disaster relief coordinator Peter 
Barter were not known to the committee to date.

How much international and domestic relief effort was channelled under 
the auspices of Mr Barter was not known to his committee as the national 
government's legally instituted coordinating agency.

+++niuswire

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