Communication troubles are now over for Kerevat prison

TELECOMMUNICATION woes at the Kerevat prison are now a thing of the past after six additional lines were installed over the weekend.
Acting prisons commander Chief Insp Margaret Garap said the prison’s administration had been having communications problems for a long time.
“CS personnel are often forced to travel to Kokopo town to make calls or run other errands as there were no services available nearby. They had to travel to communicate with the CS headquarters in Port Moresby,” she said.
Mrs Garap said time and fuel would now be saved and commended Telikom PNG as the first statutory body ever to visit the prison.
Telikom regional manager Boni Talis said that it was the company’s obligation to provide services to jail facilities.
Telikom also had the opportunity to create awareness on vandalism and theft of telecommunication equipment and facilities.
“Cables are cut, solar panels removed and generator fuel is also stolen. These are costly to the company and are creating problems and inconvenience to the people, especially those living in the outskirts of Kerevat town,” he said.
Mr Talis said theft and vandalism continued to be the company’s biggest setback to progress and operations.
Telikom’s luncheon programme in the prison was the first of its kind in the province.
It was initiated by company chief executive officer Peter Loko in 2008 at Bomana prison.