Ex-officers’ query payments

 By DOROTHY MARK
The police department is yet to process entitlements for hundreds of retired officers around the country, a senior officer says.
Assistant police commissioner for the Northern region Peter Guinness said this in an interview regarding issues raised by Madang police.
The retired police officers are still waiting for their retirement benefits but it is taking too long for processes to be completed before they are paid.
This is one reason why retired police personnel are still living in police accommodation in Madang, forcing others to seek housing elsewhere in town.
Guinness said many retired police officers in the country were facing the same issue and the police headquarters is aware of it.
Some officers in Madang were issued notices to vacate police houses in the Tarangau barracks.
However, due to the living conditions they threatened to sue the department on human rights grounds in relation to health problems and education.
Guinness said he was aware of the situation but said they could not just force the officers to move out as yet.
“It will look like we are not honouring the time and effort they put to serve the force in their active days so we can’t just force them out.”
Meanwhile, work on the three proposed police barracks outside Madang town has not started.
Following a groundbreaking ceremony in 2014, the sites have been overgrown with bushes and town residents are wondering when construction will begin.