By JAMES APA GUMUNO
THE country needs tougher laws against crime, in particular tribal fighting, if there is to be more development and a better standing of living for the people, Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Sam Abal said yesterday.
He said many laws were outdated and required a review, adding that capital punishment should be enforced to deal with the escalating law and order problems.
“It is time we strengthen the laws as well as introduce new ones to make the country conducive for development,” he told The National.
“Laws must be made tougher for people involved in tribal fights.”
Mr Abal said he would table a draft to discourage people from illegal possession of firearms.
“Tribesmen will arm themselves because they know their enemies have guns.
“The new legislation will help stamp out tribal fights and people will not go looking for guns,” he said, adding that he hoped his fellow MPs would support him.
He said the people were smuggling in guns and ammunition because the laws were weak.
He said the court should sentence anyone found guilty of possessing weapons or ammunition to at least 15 years in prison with hard labour.
Mr Abal said a week-long workshop was being planned for all Highlands leaders, provincial administrators and people from the legal fraternity to review the laws, especially those pertaining to tribal fights.
He is in the process of soliciting funds from PNG Sustainable Development Ltd and AusAID to organise the workshop.
Constitutional Reform Committee chairman Joe Mek Teine, who is the Member for Kundiawa-Gembogl, agreed that the Inter Tribal Fighting Act was outdated and needed to be strengthened.
He said his committee would be touring the Highlands region before the end of the year to gather views from the people before drafting amendments.