Envoy: Band here to help

 PERFORMANCES by the Fiji police band at various government institutions in Port Moresby this week are primarily to entertain the people, says High Commissioner Romanu Tikotikoca.

The band came with the Fiji trade and investment mission last week and stayed back for another week, at the request of the high commission, to play at various government institutions including PNG Power, Laloki Psychiatric Hospital and Port Moresby General Hospital.

“The presence of the band and the various engagements in Port Moresby this week is therefore primarily to further strengthen PNG-Fiji ties carried on from last week and simply to carry out outreach programmes to the community at large,” he said in a statement.

“Music is a universal language.

“Music can break down barriers and bring people together.

“The Fiji High Commission hopes that the Fiji police dance band can achieve this to a certain degree among our Port Moresby community, before they return to Fiji this Sunday.”

The band was also invited last Thursday to entertain the crowd at the Jackson international airport when Prime Minister Peter O’Neill opened the sections renovated by the National Airports Corporation.

Tikotikoca said the high commission hoped that the various band engagements would strengthen people-to-people relations, especially its relations with the various government institutions in PNG including the disciplined forces – Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, Defence Force and the Correctional Services.

An earlier report claiming that the band was also in Port Moresby to raise funds had been termed as false.