Juffa: PNG must protect borders

By JACOB POK
THE people of PNG deserve protection from transnational crimes and undue foreign exploitation from entities associated with transnational criminal syndicates, outgoing PNG Customs Commissioner, Gary Juffa, says.
“PNG is an independent country and needed to develop its own vibrant border security mechanisms to protect its people and economy,” an outspoken Juffa said during his farewell dinner at the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby on Tuesday.
Juffa, who resigned as Customs Commissioner officially on Oct 27, urged his officers to keep up the good work they had been doing and to protect the borders of the country.
He said despite a limited staff of 285 officers in customs offices at various centres, they managed to protect the the seven million population.
“I have to separate Customs from Internal Revenue Commission for the good of the country and to focus on areas of community protection and border security that had lacked since the IRC was established,” Juffa said.
He said with less than two and half years of operations, Customs strove to protect the interests of the country.
He said revenue collections, detentions and seizures of smuggled goods, arrests and deportations of illegal foreigners, joint agency operations to curb transnational criminal activities, dismantling of illegal gaming syndicates and improved border security were at record highs.
“I have struggled with meager resources to develop a corporate approach towards service delivery to all stakeholders, especially the people of our beloved country,” Juffa said, adding that there was still much to be done and urged his officers to complete some of the work remaining.
Juffa’s farewell night was witnessed by mostly his family members, Customs staff, friends and relatives.
He was presented with gifts by his the staff and was acknowledged by many for the good work he had done as the Commissioner.
Juffa had served Customs for 15 years.
He had to resign to contest the 2012 election in his home province of Northern. He said he was concerned about his people and wanted them to participate in the development and therefore had to leave his work as Commissioner to contest the election.
Senior Customs officer John Pomoso will hold a caretaker position as Customs head until the NEC appoints a permanent commissioner.