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Inquiry on rice
shortage in PNG
PORT MORESBY, Tues
day (AAP). — The Somare
Government is facing severe
criticism in Papua New
Guinea over rice shortages
which are being reported from
several parts of the country.
The Government has ordered
an urgent inquiry to find out just
how bad the situation is, because
it believes some provincial
authorities are not doing all they
can to alleviate food shortages in
their own areas.
The present problems follow
PNG Government restrictions on
rice import to curb a rapid
growth in external spending on
food.
The Government ordered the
restrictions in February, leaving
Australian suppliers facing the
prospect of a cut or almost 30 per
cent in their rice exports to PNG
this year.
The Government said only
65,000 tonnes of rice would be
imported this year.
The country had been import
ing rice at the rate of almost
90,000 tonnes a year on the latest
available estimates.
. The shortages have been ac
centuated by a long dry season in
several parts of PNG which has
dried up many gardens, which
normally provide food for the
country's villagers.
A former Deputy Prime Min
ister, Mr Chan, has said the
Somare Government must admit
that its rice import restrictions
were wrong and lift them im
mediately.
Mr Chan, who is now in Op
position, was Minister for Prima
ry Industry in the Government
until the People's Progress Party,
which he leads, walked out of its
coalition with Mr Somare's Pan
gu Pati last November.
Rice shortages have been re
ported from Lae, Rabaul and the
highlands districts. Some sup
pliers in Port Moresby also say
that their rice stocks arc low.
The Deputy Premier of the
Western Highlands province, Mr
Rumint, said the Government's
restrictions on rice imports were
premature.
Emergency service authorities
believe that some provincial gov
ernments in PNG have been seek
ing assistance from the national
Government over food shortages
when the situation did not war
rant it.
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