District buys police boat, guns to fight piracy

THE Samarai-Murua development authority has spent about K2 million to buy firearms and a boat for police to fight piracy, MP Isi Henry Leonard says.
The district bought two guns and a pistol and built an armoury at the Bwagoiawa Police Station on Misima Island.
The boat, which cost K1.7 million, was bought from the Sydney water police.
“We will take possession of the water police boat this year,” Leonard said.
Snr Const Kevin Muri, from Misima Island, said they needed the guns to deal with armed sea pirates.
“We were unable to confront the armed pirates when they raided and completely ransacked the only three Chinese-owned shops in 2016 and 2018,” he said. “We did confront the pirates in 2013 and prevented them from robbing the shops when we had firearms.
“But then the former acting provincial commander Insp George Bayagau came and took away our only two firearms, saying the weapons would be used for parade drills back in Alotau.
“Then we had robberies in 2017 and 2018 and we did nothing but watched while the pirates ransacked the shops.”
Snr Const Muri said they needed guns to fight armed sea pirates on Misima Island.
“We then heard that pirates would stage a similar robbery in December and so we brought in four armed police officers from Alotau and they have been here since November last year.”
Snr Const Muri said the pirates usually robbed the shops around December when they were about to close