The consequence of mismanagement….

(Story as it appeared on the front page of today's edition of The National)

Power cut at Unitech

By PETER KORUGL

PNG Power Limited has cut the
power supply to the Papua New Guinea University of Technology due to
unpaid electricity bills, preventing students from having access to
vital facilities for their studies.
The power supplier opted to take the drastic action after the university
failed to settle outstanding bills totalling K600,000 incurred this
year.
The power disconnection came to light only yesterday when frustrated
students, claiming they were unable to study properly, called a forum
and demanded the administration to explain why the bills were not
settled and when the problem would be rectified.
According to staff and students on the Taraka campus in Lae, Morobe
province, the power disconnection affected the library, lecture rooms
and other academic facilities as well as communication between the
university and the outside world.
“Students cannot study because the library, laboratories and classrooms
are without power,” a senior electrical engineering student said, adding
that the main server was out.
“We are unable to communicate with the outside world because our
telephones and internet service are out as well due to the power
situation.”

One of the academic facilities affected was the Mining Engineering
Department’s laboratory.
Staff at the laboratory said they could not carry out tests and analyse
rock samples sent in from the Hidden Valley and Wafi gold projects
because the laboratory was without power.
Acting Vice-Chancellor, Wilson Tovirika told the students that the
university was unable to settle the electricity bills because it had no
money.
“If we settle the debt, we would not have enough money to run the
university for the rest of the academic year,” he said.
Mr Tovirika said over K2 million the university had to pay for the
electricity was used to rehabilitate staff houses and academic
infrastructure this year.
Registrar Allan Sako told the students that some money was paid to PNG
Power already and power should have been reconnected yesterday.
Mr Sako and Mr Tovirika said the university paid K230,000 two weeks ago
to PNG Power and another K253,000 was paid yesterday and PNG Power gave
its assurance that it would reconnect the power supply.