Group welcomes MP’s announcement

A volunteer group has welcomed the ‘stop donations’ announcement by Tari-Pori MP and Minister for Finance, James Marape.

Over the weekend Marape announced a stop to donations from ordinary Papua New Guineans for Tari-Pori.

Though the response from kind-hearted individuals and groups is greatly appreciated, Minister Marape said the relief effort is now into its second phase – restoration.

The Hela Earthquake Relief (HER) group, comprising of friends/volunteers from Port Moresby who have been actively collecting donation in kind since the beginning of March, say they have done all they could.

Team leaders Rex Paura and Cybel Druma say that the HER team had also concluded their drive, which ended on April 01st; they are into their delivery phase now.

Their first delivery was done a week ago with free assistance by PNG Air which saw at least 3 tons of food items and water transported to Tari, Hela Province.

Paura said: “Our strategy has always been to end 1st April and to send the donations up to the local organising committee in Tari.

“We have done that and we’ll continue to send everything in the warehouse up there.

“We won’t collect anymore donations but we will facilitate and assist those overseas who have done some appeal drives as well, including a young woman who is leading a donation drive in the US.”

The group has collected donations from all over the country and overseas.

They have collaborated with the provincial government to deliver the items to Tari and to affected villages and communities.

(Picture: Hela Earthquake Relief Facebook page)

Author: 
Imelda Wavik