By Lucy Kopana – EMTV News, Lae
The old rundown Malahang Police Station has been replaced with a new and bigger station, that was launched yesterday.
The new police station was built in partnership between the Lae City Authority, International Container Terminal Services Incorporated (ICTSI), and the AHI hope foundation, with the support of the Morobe provincial government.
The station was built at a cost of K400, 000. 00 funded by the ICTSI, and a purchase of a new vehicle funded through the LCA.
According to ICTSI’s South Pacific CEO Anil Singh, the company is committed in empowering impacted communities through such initiatives.
“I want to ensure our stakeholders that our operation here goes beyond our business objectives as we equally want to contribute to the development of our impacted communities.”
The Malahang and back road area is home to a lot of working class people, including employees of ICTSI. General Manager of the South Pacific Container Terminal Services (SPICTL), the movement and safety of workers and people in the area are important, hence this will aid in addressing law and order problems in the area.
The idea to rebuild a new police station for Malahang initially started as a community project between the AHI Hope foundation and the Lae Police in 2016.
Police Commissioner Gary Baki said this was an example of public-private partnership emphasized on by the government, commending the stakeholders for their efforts.
With the new police station and vehicle handed over to the police, Lae MP John Rosso has urged officers and the community to take ownership of the facility and resources, by taking care of them.
Plans to build a barracks for the police officers at Malahang have also been announced, including a further partnership to build the Omili Police Station, as the next project.
Lae Metropolitan Commander Anthony Wagambie Jr. thanked the stakeholders, saying the efforts to improve policing through public private partnership will ensure development in the city.
