The Opposition has called for immediate cancellation of all road works in the city and to divert the funds towards preparing the country to survive the long dry spell.
This follows scientific reports that the long dry spell will last another 12 months and that available resources such as water and food may become scarce, pushing people to the edge of poverty and starvation.
Opposition Leader Don Polye says necessary preparations must be made to prepare the city and the country to survive the prolonged El Nino period.
Mr Polye says reports by Eda Ranu, the water supplier, that the Sirinumu dam had about 35% of water remaining to keep the city going till mid next year must not be taken lightly.
“In fact the government and the city authority should be more concerned and come up with alternatives to address the water situation in the city so as to prepare the citizens to survive the prolonged dry season,” Mr Polye said.
“Spending millions of kina on capital works in NCD alone is unnecessary especially when you have a prolonged dry spell that will last another 12 months. It’s appropriate for the government to cancel these road works and instead divert these funds to prepare the country to brace for the dry spell,” said Mr Polye.
“I call on the Prime Minister to stop globe trotting and get his priorities right by placing the interest of the country ahead of his personal ones.’’
The Opposition Leader wants the government to take this dry spell issue seriously and devise an alternative plan to save the country.
“The government through respective departments and agencies needs to put together a response team comprising scientists, medical doctors and agricultural specialists on stand-by to visit the breadth and length of the country to carry out awareness to educate our people to survive the long dry spell,” Mr Polye said.
This, he said, the government had failed to do.
He urged the government to get its priorities right and work ahead of time to prepare the country to survive the long El Nino period.