By Lindy Suharupa
The announced meeting with Public Motor Vehicle Owners by NCD
Metropolitan Superintendent Chief Inspector Silva Sika yesterday at
Unagi Oval in the Nation’s Capital was called off due to non-attendance
of PMV Owners.
Met Sup Sika including all Police Station Commanders in all nine
commands of the city were present for the meeting.
In attendance also was the CEO of Road Traffic Authority Nelson
Terema, Managing Director of Pacific Corporate Security Jacob Kaupa
and President of PMV Buses Association Jack Waso.
The scheduled meeting that was supposed to begin at mid-day
yesterday was called off by the city’s police boss…
At around 1PM, commanding officers and all police station commands in
all suburbs were all present at the Unagi Oval.
After several calls by police using loud hailers and speakers to alert
PMV operators of the meet, the request was somewhat ignored by the
majority.
Only a few PMV operators and their owners and taxi drivers turned
up,however due to lack of attendance by PMV owners, the scheduled
meet was called off.
At 3:00PM, Met Sup Sika called off the meeting and advised that a
similar call will be issued to all PMV Bus owners, operators and taxi
drivers for next week Sunday, same time at the same venue.
When speaking to the media, the Metropolitan Superintendent Silva Sika
said attitudes and behaviours by PMV operators and taxi drivers is a
grave concern for the general public and for police in the city and this
meet was to seriously and frankly address all these issues.
“As you saw (today) yesterday, the turn out hasn’t been good for us to
deliver what we intent to deliver to the taxi drivers, PMV Owners and
their drivers especially, these are the very people who actually violate
certain traffic laws in the city.
“There’s a lot of abuse and breach of traffic laws in Port Moresby and
everyone in the city knows exactly the current circumstances of PMVs
who have been running around, disobedient, no discipline and no
respect for the rule of law.
“The meeting that we want to hold is to tell them about mechanisms or
strategies we will use to control the behaviour and attitudes of the taxi
drivers and the PMV operators because they are main offenders,” said
Met Sup Sika.
A concerned Chief Inspector Silva Sika further appealed to all PMV bus
owners, operators and taxi drivers to make time available and attend
next week’s meet.
