Kauba: Not all promoted at same time

By JOHN SUPA
HIGHLANDS divisional commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Simon Kauba, eased resentment among the rank and file on promotion saying that police personnel anywhere in PNG cannot expect to be promoted all at once, across the board, every time the promotion board sits.
Kauba said officers who missed out in the last promotion should not be discouraged because they could  expect to be promoted when the next promotion board sits this year.
The police promotion board sits every two years to promote hardworking police officers.
He had to ease frustrations among personnel who expected to be promoted during the last promotion board sitting late last year were overlooked.
“Promotions do not go to everyone at the same time; those who miss out can expect your promotion in the next round,” Kauba told a police parade held in Yonki PNG Power Ltd (PPL) satellite town during his opening address to welcome provincial police commanders (PPCs) from the Highlands provinces who were attending a week-long conference.
The PPCs and Kauba are attending a five-day conference which began yesterday at the Six-Men Lodge Conference room. It will end on Friday.
Any important resolutions passed during the conference would be taken up to the 2012 pre-election briefs for all PNG PPCs conference in Mt Hagen next week.
Also taking into consideration was a strong police presence at Yonki PPL installations such as the dam, hydro power plant and control facilities and the new dam hydro power currently under construction to generate electricity for the Harmony Gold project in Wau, Morobe.
Kauba said that police have a duty to protect key assets that required attention and protection from undue threats from the civil society.
A heavy police personnel deployment has been present at Yonki since last year following threats by landowners to sabotage the PPL’s assets at Yonki.
He instructed his men to give their best in safeguarding government installations such as PPL-owned and operated ones at Yonki.
A court order was taken out against landowners by PPL restraining them from conducting any illegal activities against PPL management and assets and is in force.