Robbery of US embassy official to be investigated

National

POLICE say they will look into a case in which a US Embassy official was allegedly robbed in Port Moresby recently.
Police Internal Affairs director Robert Ali said his office was not aware of the case.
He said his office heard about it for the first time when this paper queried.
But he said police would look into the matter.
A spokesperson for the US Embassy told the The National yesterday that a member of the US Embassy community was robbed at a police roadblock in Down Town, Port Moresby.
The spokesperson said that the official was not harmed and the matter was now with the police who were investigating.
With the country hosting Asia-Pacific Economic Coorperation meetings over the next year leading up to the summit in November,  next Apec PNG chief executive officer Christopher Hawkins said law and order in the country had improved compared with the past 20 years.
“There is still a lot of improvement required and the Government continues to increase funding and support for police and the judiciary,” he said.
Hawkins said there was a very swift response from the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary to investigate the embassy matter.
“We have to now await further information and allow the investigation to reach its conclusion. Let’s have some perspective. Crime is a big-city problem right around the world.
“Every morning Australian, American and other country news are filled with accounts of terrible crimes.
“Nothing can ever justify any of these acts in any city or country.
“In our case, law and order is dramatically improved to what we saw 20 years ago.
“In the past week we have received 200 foreign Apec delegates who were able to enjoy the culture and hospitality of Papua New Guinea and enjoy their stay.
“We have a Joint Security Task Force that continues to increase its capability and is engaging effectively with Apec partner security agencies.
“While our Apec will be very Pacific in terms of hospitality, Apec security will be continue to be world class.”