Working on drought resilience

PORT MORESBY – Papua New Guinea’s National Disaster Centre is working tirelessly to make the country more drought resistant, according to a report in the Post-Courier.

Chairman Dickson Guinea told the Post Courier that his mandate involved making the country more resilient in countering drought conditions.

He said that El Niño induced frost and droughts have wrought havoc across much of PNG for the past four or five months affecting hundreds of thousands of people.

“This kind of situation although uncontrollable, can be countered with proper planning and counter measures in place,” he said.

He said that although rain had come and worries depreciated, the “worst was yet to come”.

Guinea said that projected forecasts show worse is yet to come in the first quarter of next year with very little to no rain conditions expected.

He said this week his committee was meeting with provincial co-ordinators, international donors, NGOs and church groups, in an attempt to get a collective understanding of what must be done to render the country drought resistant as possible.

He said that plans were being made and although only in skeleton stages, the nation will be ready for future natural catastrophes including situations of long periods of drought.

He said initial plans included drought resilient crops and an improved water grid with the help of the government.

“We are looking at drought resistant crops, working with the National Agricultural Research Institute and, of course, the Department of Agriculture and Livestock in terms of nutrition and so we are looking at a holistic approach in addressing the situation, because we understand that drought will always come back and affect us,” Guinea said. - Post-Courier

Opposition mentor calls it a day

SUVA – A prominent figure in Fiji politics and the departing aide to the opposition leader in Fiji says the Sodelpa party is in trouble and needs members who support multiracial policies, party unity and solidarity.

Mick Beddoes, who is a former leader of the Opposition himself, has resigned from the Opposition office for personal reasons.

He says he plans to become an active member for Sodelpa in Nadi and the West of the main island Viti Levu.

Beddoes says the party needs a serious dose of moderate and level headed members and he’ll take time to travel around making sure members are properly informed and can protect the party by voting in the right people.

Beddoes was among party members including the leader Ro Teimumu Kepa cleared of wrongdoing by party management this month after allegations of mismanagement including misuse of party funds.

Ro Teimumu said Beddoes was an able and dedicated administrator with a highly developed sense of the political environment. - RNZI