Airport security under probe

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill says the security firm contracted to guard the Jackson International Airport may be terminated following last Friday’s robbery at the foreign currency exchange bank.
“I understand that the robbery took place at 4am and our security should be on alert 24 hours,” O’Neill said.
“This is an international airport and we cannot allow this lax of security operations to take place there.
“We have already directed officials to look into it. And decisions will be made including the termination of the security firm if they are not able to perform.”
O’Neill was responding to Pomio MP Elias Kapavore in Parliament about the lapse in security at the international airport in Port Moresby as PNG prepares to host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in 2018.
National Airport Corporation chief executive officer Joseph Tupiri said the CCTV at the airport had not been commissioned although it was operating.
Tupiri said the Bank of South Pacific management was yet to allow them to interview the branch manager.
It is understood that he was held at gunpoint by armed men and was forced to open the bank. An undisclosed amount of money including foreign currencies were stolen.