Cops to ensure safe celebrations

POLICE in Eastern Highlands will be out in force to ensure peaceful Christmas and New Year celebrations, provincial police commander Supt Michael Welly says.
A special police parade was held at the Goroka Police Station yesterday overseen by Supt Welly to launch the special operation for the 2021 Christmas and New Year operations.
Supt Welly said he was considering a liquor ban in the province over the festive period and urged business houses and liquor outlets to comply if it was approved.
“Those who decide to indulge themselves with liquor and homebrew causing a nuisance in communities, will be the target of police during the special operation,” he said.
“The main aim is for police to ensure the people enjoy a safe festive season, we will target those indulged themselves with drugs and alcohol and cause problems.”
Supt Welly said there would be police check points at strategic locations along the Eastern Highlands section of the Highlands Highway and youths patching potholes to demand money from the travelling public would also be targeted.
He said vehicles would be checked to ensure they were not overloaded or unroadworthy.
Supt Welly also cautioned vehicles carrying betelnut from the coast to the Highlands not to travel at night.