Help police hunt Baker

TOMMY Maeva Baker could go down in PNG history as the one individual gangster who has caused the greatest havoc and given the police the longest runaround.
Many before him might match him in notoriety but he has probably outdone them in the number of victims suffering through the loss of life or property at his hands.
Many families and businesses are now slowly coming to terms with the aftermath of another rampage through Alotau town and its ripples throughout Milne Bay.
The cost of his or his gang’s activities could easily run into several millions of kina already.
With his band of criminals, Baker has daringly held a township, a province, and by extension, a country of 8 million people at ransom for much longer than can be excused. His gang had free reign to ransack businesses and terrorise an innocent population who have been caught totally by surprise in some instances.
Baker and his gang have ruled over the waters of Milne Bay, hijacking, harassing and robbing at will.
Must such persons be allowed another day of freedom to run further away from the law?
The Government is fully aware of the situation in Alotau and it does not need local MP Charles Abel, a former deputy prime minister, to call for a state of emergency in the town and province.
A state of emergency or the next best thing should have been in place by now to bring to an end this horrible lawlessness and suffering in Milne Bay.
And to avoid failing again to pin down and crushing the head of the snake like in previous attempts, the police force needs to be provided all necessary resources and the time necessary to do that.
It could be a costly manhunt but there is no other way to bring this criminal and his men to face the law and get their due under the laws of the land.
To the credit of the local police and a contingent from Port Moresby, a number of Baker’s gang members have been captured so far.
Sadly, his mother, an aunt and uncle have been arrested for harbouring him when they had known very well he was a wanted man.
Police Commissioner David Manning has request for K83 million.
Whether that kind of money can be dished out at this critical time to a single agency when the economy is struggling is for the Government to decide, but some level of additional funding to police is definitely needed – for not only the Milne Bay situation but also to tackle the apparent rise in violence all around the country.
The Government should now consider relieving Manning of his role as controller of the National Pandemic Response.
Let the Health Department take over.
Given the law and order situation in general and the sporadic acts of violence, the country needs the police boss to focus all his attention and resources to restoring peace and order.
A criminal gang is getting out of control in Milne Bay, tribal fighting and bloodshed continue in Eastern Highlands and Hela, and more recently, killings have led to possible ethnic clashes in the capital.
Such situations call for an urgent and decisive response from the Government to restore order, peace and harmony.
There is no reasoning with a criminal.
The global pandemic has significantly disrupted the people’s way of life but the criminal has little regard for what the rest of the country is going through.