THE East New Britain administration has entered the restoration stage of its three-phase disaster response, with officials confident that progress can be achieved within existing Government systems and budget allocations.
Deputy administrator in charge of socio-economic services Alkan Mararang said the focus was on restoring critical infrastructure without creating additional financial burdens.
“Our approach was to carry out restoration within our budgeted programmes for this year, so we do not go outside of our planned commitments,” Mararang said.
Roads, power supply and accessibility remain the priority areas. District administrations were tasked with handling localised repairs through their procurement processes, such as rebuilding roads washed away in affected districts.
PNG Power Limited (PPL) had deployed 10 linesmen from Lae to help with restoration efforts, resulting in faster-than-usual power recovery.
Major works were underway to restore the line to Rabaul, with full restoration across the province expected within five weeks.
Mararang commended the collaboration between authorities and PPL, noting that rural districts would need to engage contractors to support the utility in reaching remote areas.
