Chinatown

The Lae Chamber of Commerce and Industry described these parts of Lae as “hotspot areas”, saying there is always an incidence of risk but coupled with the election period, incidents have escalated.

The LCCI reported that a school bus was recently intercepted by a gang on Butibam Road, who smashed the windows and attempted entry.

Quick thinking and action by the driver averted any entry, leaving the kids and crew safe but shaken.

“Drive safely, be alert, take care,” said LCCI president, John Byrne.

The Lae City Authority said these will be temporary road access as work continues on the Butibam Road.

These two street roads are linked to Nathatches Street.

“Concreting work on one lane of the road should be completed by next week and work on the other lane will commence thereafter,” said LCA.

“And this election will not affect or stop any of the projects currently on foot.”

A protest on Wednesday calling for the Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to step down lapsed into major unrest and three days of rioting.

A police forensic team are on the ground and investigations are underway.

A spokesperson said they are yet to confirm the identities of the bodies.

Local reports say the remains are of some of the looters trapped inside the building.

Most of the rioting and looting took place in Chinatown, and RNZ Pacific correspondent there said only six buildings are left standing.

Photo RNZ Pacific 

Kerenga Kua said the controversial land in question was initially zoned as ‘Special Purpose’ where Telikom PNG (OTC) had their transmission towers, once a “Restricted Area”.

He said since then, it has undergone several changes in its purpose to whatever it is today and the public needs to be assured the O’Neill Government is not making another disastrous decision by giving away valuable state land to friends and associates.

Kua, in a statement, clarified that this was not an attack on the investors and China but importantly, the people want to know the truth.