Cocaine bust shows weak system

THE crashing of the foreign aircraft which was reportedly attempting a drug-run just outside Port Moresby should be a wake-up call for Government.
The incident shows how vulnerable Papua New Guinea is against foreign elements with evil motives who are entering our borders at will.
It paints a very bad picture of PNG to the international community.
Has PNG become an easy route for drugs passing down to Australia or coming in from Asia?
And another thing, the Government and its law-enforcing agencies are still yet to contain our internal security problems.
Petty criminals and thugs are ruling the streets of Port Moresby, Lae, Madang and other towns in PNG attacking people at will while local gangs and white-collar workers rob and steal from our people.
It seems the fight against crime on the streets and in our Government departments and agencies is non-existent.
Nobody is putting his or her foot down to nail the criminals on the streets or in the offices and have them prosecuted, convicted and penalised.
Moreover, because the prosecution process in PNG is very slow and, at times, not followed up on stringently by the police and the prosecution unit, people who have committed crimes are let off.
And even if they are convicted, the penalties imposed are so weak that offenders get out of prison quick enough to continue plying their evil trade.
And it does not help the fight against crime when we have police officers beating up or shooting at civilians and getting away with it because the ballistics units cannot trace the casings of shells fired.
Do people know what they are doing or are people in charge just do not care in pursuing justice?
The point here is, how can we effectively address an incident such as the plane crash/drug saga when we can’t address crimes committed by our own people?
Again, we are reminded that we have an external security problem and it is growing.
It seems drugs like cocaine is freely passing through our borders.
Two years ago, there was the case of seven foreigners who were nabbed in Milne Bay because they were believed to be connected to the discovery of cocaine there.
It is interesting too that in January, Deputy Prime Minister Davis Steven said there needs to be a naval base and a Water Police Unit in Milne Bay to combat transnational crime and sea piracy.
That was a very good plan but I am not sure how far Steven has gone with this.
A similar plan must also be devised to include a naval base and a water police unit in Western, Bougainville and West Sepik.
If the Government is serious about this, it will set up such naval bases.
It is my view that the Government must rise from its slumber to attend to violence and petty crimes on the streets of our cities and towns first.
Only after that is sorted will there be a more focused approach to protect our borders.
It’s time to wake up.

PNG Man