CS officer dies during conference
The National, Friday February 21st, 2014
By ZACHERY PER
A SENIOR officer of the Correctional Services department died in Goroka on Wednesday in the middle of a commanders’ conference held there.
Deputy Commissioner corporate services David Melange was coordinating the 2014 annual Correctional Services Commanders Conference, which began on Monday.
It is understood that he collapsed in his room at the Bird of Paradise Hotel.
He was taken to the Goroka Base Hospital.
Melange was pronounced dead on arrival.
His body is likely to be flown to Port Moresby before funeral arrangements are finalised.
Melange is believed to have been in the service for more than 40 years.
He was from Mendi, in Southern Highlands.
Prison officers from Buiebi jail outside Mendi arrived in Goroka yesterday soon after news reached them.
The conference was disrupted because of Melange’s death.
Attempts to get comments from CS Commissioner Martin Balthasar were unsuccessful.