Authorities endorse special police operation to address law, order

By ROSELYN ELLISON
A RISE in crime in East New Britain over the last two months has seen provincial authorities endorse a special police operation to address law and order issues.
The provincial law and order committee met last month and green lit operation “stretim sindaun”.
The committee made the announcement during a press conference chaired by provincial administrator Wilson Matava.
Matava, the committee’s chairman, explained that ENB law and order committee endorsed the operation in the province for the first 14 days starting on Aug 28 and would extend it another 14 days.
He acknowledged Police Commissioner David Manning for providing additional personnel for the operation.
Matava said the main aim was to maintain peace and good order in the communities.
He said local police numbers were boosted by personnel from Port Moresby in the form of mobile squads 01 and 20.
Matava said the police personnel had worked over the first seven days in the four districts of the province.
He said incidents of crime and unrest had occurred across the districts which included issues in Rabaul town, Gelegele resettlement, Kokopo, Kerevat and some parts of Pomio.
Provincial police commander Chief Insp Joseph Tabali said police were closely monitoring identified hotspots in Kokopo and Rabaul, including Ravat, Ngatur, Tinganalom, Kunakunai, Vunamurmur and Vunatagia wards in Kokopo’s Raluana local level government (LLG) and Livuan, New Radaz settlement in Vunamami urban LLG; Nordup, Matalau Gelegele, Nordup and Matalau original, Iavakaka, Malaguna one and two, Red Light and Atam in Rabaul.
Chief Insp Tabali confirmed that police had carried out raids and arrested suspects wanted for various crimes who were in custody at Kokopo, Rabaul and Kerevat police cells.
Matava thanked the four district development authorities and the MPs for their funding support of the operation.
According to Matava, out of 251 reported cases in the province, 74 arrests had been made over the first seven days of operation stretim sindaun.
He appealed to East New Britain people to work with authorities to create a peaceful province which would be an example to others.