K3.5mil contract signed

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
NEW scientific testing equipment costing K3.5 million for the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary national forensic science services will be purchased soon following the contract signing at Gordon’s forensic office on Friday.
Dr Richard Pickworth of Meddent PNG and the RPNGC through the national forensic science services detective Supt Philip Rambaliku signed the contract.
“In pursuit of modernisation of the RPNGC (police) criminal investigation directorate, the Government, through the Department of National Planning and Monitoring, has seen the need to improve the RPNGC national forensic science services scientific testing capability to detect and investigate crime,” Supt Rambaliku said.
He said the national forensic science services is the core and heart for evidence-based criminal investigation.
It provided the scientific capability for criminal investigation.
Supt Rambaliku said the Government through the Department of National Planning and Monitoring under its 2020 National Development Budget appropriation had provided funding for the construction of a new biological and biochemical testing laboratory valued at K2 million as well as funding totalling K3.5 million for the purchase of new broad range scientific testing equipment. “I am thankful that this initiative is now coming to reality through positive funding support from the Government and the development of such scientific capability to support criminal investigation helps to improve our policing practices and places RPNGC amongst the best within our region,” he said.
The total cost for the construction of the testing laboratory is approximately K2mil while for the purchase of all scientific equipment would be around K3.5mil.