Papua New Guinea: Government office closures reported in Port Moresby as of Nov. 1 due to payment dispute

Event

Grand Columbia Limited (GCL) has reportedly blocked access to several government offices in its buildings in Port Moresby as of Nov. 1 amid a dispute over rental arrears. While the government previously negotiated a deal to recover the outstanding balance, GCL claims public officials have not yet made payments. The closures are affecting operations at the Department of Petroleum and Energy, and may begin to impact the Department of Education from Nov. 1. GCL claims it will continue to enforce the closures until a settlement is reached.

Government and public service disruptions are likely in affected departments.

Advice

Plan for disruptions at affected departments; confirm appointments.