Horses to cut policing costs for rural Morobe

MOROBE’S Huon Gulf development authority (DDA) bought 20 horses with the aim of using them for police work in Morobe, Salamaua and Wampar local level governments.
MP Ross Seymour said untimely allocations of district services programme (DSIP) funds that came in drips and drabs of K1 million or K2 million a quarter, they were unable to meet their needs at once.
Seymour said given the geographical locality of the district comprising valleys, mountains and sea posed huge logistical challenges to enforce law and order.
“Policing in Huon Gulf requires fuel constantly for sea and land transport, police allowances and vehicle maintenance to patrol interior Lower Watut,
Mama-Bogeba, the hinterland Salamaua and Morobe patrol posts as far as Pema and coastline Eya-Gugumi bordering Northern,” he said.
“The DDA resorted to buying 20 horses to minimise costs.”
Seymour tried policing on horseback in Rumion, Wampar, since becoming a MP in 2012.
“Soon after parliament sitting, I will transport a horse down to the Morobe post,” he said.
Seymour also raised concern over loss of time in police duty in sea surveillance as piracy in Morobe began to pick up again.
This is due to mv Labi sitting idle in Port Moresby after the Apec meetings and the organisers being unable to send the boat back to Lae.
The Huon Gulf DDA was urged to pay for the costs.
Seymour said two additional boats donated to Morobe by the Australian government used during Apec were still in Port Moresby.
A police source said the Apec committee issued a cheque to freight the two donated boats on Bismarck Shipping but the cheque bounced back.
“It costs Huon DDA K50,000 to freight them and will be assigned to patrol Huon Gulf, Finschhafen-Tewae-Siassi waters to the borders of Northern, Madang and West New Britain,” Seymour said.
Seymour said the DDA invested thousands of kina in infrastructures for police accommodation at Nadzab and Morobe posts, vehicles and refurbishing of mv Labi and Manggae for sea surveillance.
Police commissioner Gari Baki launched the centre in April 2017.
Baki said the Morobe post was a strategic maritime surveillance point that would extend sea surveillance along Northern, Milne Bay, West New Britain and Madang waters.