Christmas death toll at four

FOUR deaths marked what was otherwise a peaceful Christmas weekend in major urban centres, police report.
The only deaths were reported in West Sepik where three men died on Monday trying to steal fuel from a barge and, in Eastern Highlands, a man was killed in a fatal road accident on Christmas day.
Port Moresby, which was showered with Christmas Eve rain, was quiet all round as police enforced the “Lukautim Krismas Hamamas 2011 na 2012” operation, according to assistant police commissioner (divisional commander) Fred Sheekiot.
In Lae, metropolitan commander Supt Nema Mondiai reported a trouble-free weekend due to the liquor ban still in force in the city.
He said the special police operations would continue into the New Year.
In Western Highlands, provincial police commander Kaiglo Ambane complained that far too many people were getting drunk on Christmas Eve in Mt Hagen but there were no major incidents.
However, in Chimbu, the Highlands Highway between Kundiawa and Chuave were blocked yesterday by villagers claiming they had not been properly compensated for land given for the highway.