The ongoing construction of the SST Tuna Loining plant in Papua New Guinea has created an upsurge in business activities in Wewak and Maprik, which the Sepik Chamber of Commerce and Industry says is the first good news for East Sepik in a long time.
"This boom in economic activity is a direct result of construction of the K100m kina SST Tuna plant is completed in November," Chamber President Ray Seeto told. Seeto said the "tax concessions and incentives" announced by the Somare-Marat Government would attract more investors to the agriculture sector but he felt that more should be done in support of subsistence farmers.
Seeto said the increased business activity in East Sepik was also causing an upsurge in law and order and alcohol-related problems in Wewak and Maprik and along the Sepik Highway, warning that this could escalate as the tuna plant nears completion unless the authorities started taking preventive measures immediately.
"Our Police force in East Sepik is currently under-resourced, with inadequate housing for its members and lacking sufficient manpower and vehicles to control the law and order problem we are facing. In addition, with 15 escapees still on the loose, the town of Wewak has experienced over a dozen break and enter robberies over the past three months," he said.
The chamber is preparing a "Law & Order" paper for month's Provincial Executive Council meeting and has taken the initiatives to provide fuel to the police and build a sub-station in town. It will also fund an extra 30 Reservists Policemen, who were retrenched or laid off due to lack of funds. They will carry out day and night patrol in busy areas such as the town market; wharf area, and Dagua market.