Guarantee city residents’ safety

PORT Moresby is undoubtedly a very dangerous city to live in.
While women and children are more vulnerable and susceptible to criminal elements, most law-abiding men also fear for their lives as they move around the city.
Certain suburbs and outlying parts of the National Capital District are considered high risk areas or “no-go zones” and many major businesses do not allow their vehicles to go to those places.
A large proportion of private sector workers and public servants live in these crime-infested suburbs and settlements because they cannot afford to live in the affluent and safer suburbs.
A notorious hub for criminal and illegal activities is the Gordon Market, the city’s largest outlet for local fresh food.
The irony is that for all its notoriety, the market is only a few metres from the city’s second busiest police station. Among the latest victims of petty criminals or “raskols” at Gordon market is Fr Victor Roche, the highly-respected general-secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
Roche was set upon by a group of thugs last Saturday morning while about 70 people, including a security guard, stood by and watched helplessly as the raskols robbed the poor priest.
Although the thugs did not physically harm him, Roche was quite shaken by the incident and has called on the National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop and city police chief Benjamin Turi to provide security for the ordinary people in Port Moresby.
“I want to speak on behalf of the ordinary people who come to Gordon Market or any place in Port Moresby. The law and order situation is getting worse in Port Moresby. I appeal to those who are providing security to the people of Papua New Guinea, please provide security,” Roche said this week.
The cowardly action of those evil-minded thugs towards a man of God must be condemned by all law-abiding citizens.  As Rev Dr Numuc Z Kemung of the Martin Luther Seminary in Lae said in his letter to the editor today, “Father Victor is held in high regard in our country by all our churches. It is embarrassing because the incident took place in the city and Gordon police station is close by.
“We thank God that nothing serious happened to Fr Victor.”
Those criminals can count themselves fortunate that they live in a Christian democratic country whose laws do not permit the traditional “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” punishment for offenders.
Under Islamic law, they would have their fingers chopped off for stealing or be subjected to public lashings. It is highly unlikely that those thugs would have known Roche’s identity but while God’s punishment awaits them, City Hall and the police must take tougher measures to stop further robberies, assaults and harassment of innocent people.
As the good father pointed out, there are many such cases that go unreported to police, hence the call by the Met Supt Turi for law-abiding residents to report any criminal and illegal activities happening at the markets and bus stops.
Recent cases of women and girls being assaulted and robbed by thugs at bus stops at Gordon Market, Erima and Wild Life have also prompted Turi to lash out at the Gordon police station commander.
“The main market is just next to the police station and I don’t see any reason police presence cannot be felt,” Turi told The National.
“That is his responsibility. He is the one assigned to be in charge of the station and check on the officers to carry out their duties in those areas.” This is not the first time that serious concern has been expressed about crime and lawlessness at the Gordon Market.
In fact, there have been numerous calls in the past for the dismantling and relocation of this troublesome market.
But these calls seem to have fallen on deaf ears in City Hall, which views it as a law and order issue that is best left to the police to take care of.
Whatever their reasons for allowing the market to continue to be a breeding ground for criminals, we agree with Roche that it is an issue for both Parkop and Turi to tackle and resolve with urgency.
The safety of residents and visitors is paramount and the authorities must work together to guarantee a safe and peaceful city environment.
We have just hosted a successful Under-20 Women’s World Cup and have sold our country to the world as a tourist hub. Let’s clean up our backyard first.