Clash over Finsch seat

A MAN is critically injured, five other people are missing and a vehicle was burnt after a confrontation between supporters of two candidates for Finschhafen seat in Morobe, says an official.
According to Morobe police commander Supt Jacob Singura, the incident happened on Sunday night when supporters of a candidate were leaving for Pindiu and Mindik in a convoy.
“Police have arrested four people in relation to the incident and they are now in custody,” he said.
Singura said the convoy was attacked and supporters confronted each other, resulting in the situation getting out of hand.
“The supporters in the convoy were trying to return to their homes and were chanting, singing and calling the name of their candidate,” he said.
“This angered the locals and a war of words was exchanged between the groups.”
Singura said the locals attacked the supporters in the convoy, injuring a man while assaulting others.
He said some supporters in the convoy fled into the bushes.
Singura said the local people in the area torched a Toyota Land Cruiser belonging to the supporters in the convoy.
He said at the moment, tension was still high and police were carrying out investigation into the incident.
Singura said he was happy that 17 members of a police unit from the Lae metro command were in the district and had assisted the Finschhafen police.
Gagidu police station commander Sgt Taki Dewop said police manpower had been stretched with the recent confrontation.

I want to see more government functions, says Sir Charles

Milne Bay regional candidate and retired diplomat Sir Charles Lepani says he wants to see more government functions channelled to the provinces through the decentralisation process.
Sir Charles, who had a unionist background, is contesting the General Election 2022 (GE22) under the PNG Party banner which is led by Opposition Leader Belden Namah.
He said people from the provincial level down to the districts, and local government ward council level needed to be empowered to participate in the development of their areas.
Sir Charles said the decentralisation machinery was there but it needed remodelling and redirecting, making it responsive to the requirements of people now and in future.
As head of the Planning Department in the early stage of Independence, Sir Charles was a member of senior bureaucrats group nicknamed the “Gang of Four”, who had yet to enter Parliament.
The other “Gang” members, who had gone on to become Members of Parliament were former prime minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu, former prime minister Sir Mekere Morauta, and former Moresby North East MP late Sir Anthony Siaguru.
The four of them were then heading central government departments and were more influential in providing technical advice in drafting government’s development policies including the decentralisation system.
Sir Charles is the son of late Lepani Watson who was a member of the House of Assembly representing Kula Open electorate (1964-72).
He said after active duty serving Papua New Guinea, he came home to live in retirement.
But the call of Milne Bay made him change his mind.
He said he wanted to be actively involved to help Milne Bay people to live happily and work in harmony to prepare a better future for their children.
This is the second time Sir Charles is contesting the general elections, having first tried in Kiriwina Goodenough Open 40 years ago in 1982 but failed.
This time he is contesting the vacant governor’s post in Milne Bay.
He is up against former governors, Tim Neville and Titus Philemon, and Our Development Party Leader, Charles Abel, plus 14 other candidates.

Security personnel committed for safe elections

THE security forces are committed to a free, fair, safe and corruption-free General Election 2022 (GE22), says Police Commissioner David Manning.
He highlighted this following the recent security forces’ interception and confiscation of police and PNG Defence Force uniforms on a private charter from Port Moresby to Komo in Hela.
“We have confiscated one blue field uniform, three police long pants with a GB boot as well as one set of what appears to be PNG Defence Force camouflage uniform, one shirt and one short trousers,” he said
Manning said the items were now in police custody with investigations conducted to ascertain who the uniforms belonged to including a confiscated Sig pistol.
“The security forces also confiscated a Sig pistol from a member of the public who was at the Komo Airport to meet the flight,” he said.
We will investigate this as well to ascertain whether this is a licenced firearm and whether the suspect has a permit to carry.”
Manning said that the role of a member of the security forces in the Komo incident was now under scrutiny.
“Our investigations will also cover those who chartered the aircraft as well as the role of the ground staff at the Komo Airport,” he said.
Meanwhile, Manning urged people to be responsible in their posts and comments on social media.