By Samantha Solomon
While law and order issues are on the rise in most parts of the country, Member for Wabag, Dr Lino Tom, has raised concerns about the law-and-order issues affecting people in Enga specifically.
Dr. Tom asked several questions to Minister for Police Peter Tsiamalili Junior, in parliament yesterday.
He said that in the Enga province neither warlords nor law breakers, nor those funding weapons have been arrested.
“Why have there been no arrest in Enga and elsewhere even if there has been overwhelming evidence on social media of obvious culprits where who are having guns after committing a crime and those crime lords who are encouraging them and supporting them in funding.”
He questioned the police minister why this is the case, despite having the power to make arrests of perpetrators.
He also asked what are the strategies that the police department has in place to look into the law-and-order issues in the country.
“What are the strategies for the coming year, I am hearing the huge sum of budget for next year, is it evidence based, have you got any numbers, has the good minister for statistics provided you with any numbers in terms of families, in terms of people who were living with other people, those are the type of things that should be provided to you to make informed decisions.”
The Minister for Police Peter Tsiamalili Junior, responded that they are working with the United States to enhance intelligence efforts.
“We made a tremendous effort in terms of our intelligence we have started a strong collaboration with the United States to help us with strengthening our intelligence and that is the step that we are taking forward now in the future for a better PNG.”
He called on the provincial government to work in partnership with the police department to have reservists to increase man power in the police force in each province.
“In terms of numbers we will not change the numbers overnight but Marape Rosso government has already started recruitment for police, the police department is also requesting all of us to partner with police t sign Memorandum of understanding have reservist. We want to encourage all districts and provinces to utilize your law-and-order component of your DSIP to now activate your reservist.” Minister said.
