3000 Papua New Guineans jobless in the city due to the civil unrest of January 10
The national government is committed to providing financial relief to business houses affected by the civil unrest last week in Port Moresby, which has left thousands jobless.
City wide, a string of shops owned by a major retail company were looted before being set alight, another huge department shop had its major warehouse broken into with most of the brand new items stolen, while other Asian owned shops were stormed into, opportunists taking anything they could get their hands on and then set them alight.
“There will be assistance packages, from reports I received, over 3000 Papua New Guineans are not employed anymore because of lawlessness,” Prime Minister James Marape said.
Mr Marape said the full details of the business assistance package will be made known, “when cabinet reconvenes next week”.
He’s hinted that the government will get Bank of PNG’s support to provide “easy express lane for FOREX [foreign exchange market], and ensure start up [capital]” for businesses that lost millions of Kina in goods and properties destroyed.
The prime minister said from police reports the “situation got out of hand when social media anticipated public anxiety to cause rioting to spread right across the city.”
Early this week, National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop visited stores who fell victim on January 10 in Port Moresby’s North West suburbs and assured the affected business owners that he is committed to collaborating with them in the recovery, restoration, and rebuilding of their businesses in the city.
"Assisting the business houses in submitting proposals to the national government will be a crucial step in restoring trust and confidence in the affected establishments," Mr Parkop said.
"Despite the challenges, I commend the commitment, resilience, and determination displayed by most business houses in their pledge to rebuild. They are integral to our city and country, providing jobs and contributing to our economy."