Keep our streets knife-free

CARRYING of any form of knife – be it a bush knife, rainbow knife and grass knife – in public should be banned.
Whoever will form the new Government come next month should make it a priority to implement laws that would ban individuals from carrying any kind of knife on the streets.
Under the Summary Offences Act, it is a crime for a person to be carrying a weapon (knife) without reasonable excuse in public.
It carries a penalty fine not exceeding K4,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.
Rather than just a fine, carrying of any kind of knife should be banned.
It is creepy not knowing who in a crowd has a pocket knife in their possession and has the intention to use it.
See what happened in Port Moresby on Sunday.
No one wants a pocket knife held against them over the theft of their personnel belongings, be it a bag, mobile phone, keys or even vehicles.
Knife crime has devastating consequences on families, children and communities – offenders simply cannot go unpunished.
The sale of knives in public markets and on the street should also be banned as they are being used as weapons to wound and in hold-ups and murder.
Again, the new Government, through its respective agents, must step in and put in place laws to say it is illegal to sell these items, especially, on the streets and markets.
And the law should say carrying a knife in public without good reason is illegal.
It is becoming too common at police stations and in court rooms to hear that offenders being charged with wounding, grievous bodily harm and murder used some type of knife.
Offenders use knives which are usually concealed to hold someone up, and if they refuse to cooperate, the victim is stabbed and, at times, murdered.
Police prosecutors many times have told the committal courts that the use of especially pocket knives in committing a crime is a growing issue and has to be looked into.
Most of the cases that go before courts were related to marital affairs and alcohol consumption. So how does this relate to pocket knives?
Most women are appearing in court charged with wounding using pocket knives.
Women attack their husband’s mistresses when caught or even their husbands after finding out the truths.
And it is usually the children who suffer when their mothers are locked behind bars for the crime they commit.
And most of the murder weapons used are often pocket knives.
Basic laws on knives must
be put in place to say it is illegal to: sell a knife to anyone under 18.
The carrying of knives in public is forbidden or restricted by law in many countries and the same must be applied here in PNG.
Exceptions may be made for hunting knives, pocket knives, and knives used for work-related purposes (chef’s knives, etc.), depending upon the laws of a given jurisdiction.
In turn, the carrying or possessing of certain type of knives perceived as deadly or offensive weapons such as automatic or switchblade knives or butterfly knives may be restricted or prohibited.
Even where knives may be
legally carried on the person generally, this right may not extend to all places and circumstances, and knives of any description may be prohibited at schools, public buildings or courthouses, and at public events.
Simply put, the carrying of any form of knife be it bush knife, rainbow knife, grass knife, switch blades or etc in public should be banned.