Better use for K9m, not guns, says officer

THE K9 million intended to be spent on buying non-lethal weapons and munitions from Australia for use by the Correctional Services will be better utilised in maintaining prison camps and residences of officers, a senior law and order officer in East New Britain said.
The officer, who wished to remain anonymous, raised this concern after inspecting the prison facilities at Kerevat recently.
He said there was a need for improvement in security to prevent more prison breakouts.
The inspection revealed that the maximum security cells were not intact as the inner perimeter fence was old and had worn out over the years.
The gates were not often locked despite numerous escapes with the recent breakout of three inmates from the maximum security unit a few days after they were recaptured by police.
He said reports indicated that inmates would lubricate guitar strings using soap water or grease from empty tinned meat containers at the prison kitchen and use that to saw through the cells’ iron rods.
Kerevat is staffed by 54 CS personnel with a ratio of one warder to 100 inmates.
The officer said lighting was also a problem. The guard manning the night watchtower in front could not see the rear yard, giving inmates every opportunity to cut through the already rusted wire fence.
He said the proposal by Correctional Services Minister Tony Aimo and Commissioner Richard Sikani to bring in 50,000 guns would not help security.
He said it was likely to negate on the work of law enforcement agencies when these weapons ended up in the wrong hands.
The officer said prison escapes had put a lot of strain on police logistics and personnel to go out and recapture the escapees.
He said with the escapees still at large, there was fear among the womenfolk to tend to their gardens or go out at night.
He questioned the gun-buying decision when the money was enough to address officers’ living conditions at the institutions, security and the state of the prisons.
In a separate media statement yesterday, Transparency International PNG urged the minister and his commissioner “to re-direct the funds to improving the living conditions of warders and upgrading prison facilities”.
“Buying guns will not solve problems within the jails, including mass breakouts,” TIPNG stated.