Dept approves police structure

By REBECCA KUKU
THE Department of Personnel Management (DPM) has approved a provincial police structure of 535 police constables for Hela since the province was first established in 2012.
Secretary Taies Sansan said 535 Hela police positions had been approved with proper classifications and would be loaded to the Alesco payroll system for funding in the 2021 budget. “The provincial police structure will be implemented in phases based on funding availability,” she said.
“But the positions will be advertised both internally and externally so that police constables who wish to serve in Hela can apply.”
The police structure was first approved in 2018, but was not funded.
Governor Philip Undialu, who received the structure, said it was the start of a new journey for Hela.
“This will also require massive investment in building 500 houses, police stations and cell blocks at Tari, Koroba, Kopiago, Komo, Margarima and various other lockups,” he said.
“Vehicles, uniforms and other logistics have to be funded as well.”
Undialu said this followed plans to build the PNG Defence Force’s forward operating base and third battalion to in the province.
He thanked the DPM for recognising Hela’s need for police personnel.
Undialu said in three years, the provincial government aimed to scale down the use of commercial and outside security services, including those brought in by the PNG LNG project.
“It’s time for everyone doing business or having an interest in the province to share the responsibility and help build the capacity of local police and not hiring outside help.” Undialu said he would talk with developers and stakeholders ExxonMobil, Oil Search, Santos, Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd, Minerals Resources Development Company and the national government to forge a strong partnership to deliver the plan. He said it cost the Hela government more than K500,000 a month to maintain PNGDF personnel in the province while the PNGL NG Project was spending over K3 million.