Kimbe police call for assistance

DEPUTY Police Assistant Commissioner for New Guinea Islands region Chief Supt Paul Kamuai has called on the West New Britain provincial government to assist police to renovate the Kimbe police cell block.
He made this call after the cell block was condemned by the provincial health authority last Monday and forced to temporally close until several requirements were met.
“It is a serious matter. The police department cannot address this alone especially at this time when the country is struggling financially. We need the provincial government and its administration to assist us to meet the requirements set by the provincial health authority,” he said.
WNB police boss Supt Jim Namora while commenting on the matter and supporting Kamuai’s call, said it was important for the province to have a good cell block in placed before the town could host major events like the PNG Games.
“It is important to maintain the rule of law in the province. Without proper holding cells, policing will be a waste of time and resources,” said Namora.
The provincial health authority highlighted the urgency to address “insanity conditions” within the cell block that had resulted in two recent diarrheal cases.
Public health director Joseph Nale stated in a letter to the PPC that an inspection conducted by environmental health officers revealed there had been continuous back flow of septic wastes since the previous Friday.
The health authority had requested police to comply with the following measures;
• Arrange for the desludging of septic tanks immediately.
• Renovate the cell block with a new coat of paint on all walls.
• Replace all lighting systems.
• Fix toilet cistern and pans, basins and shower blocks.
• Provide toilet tissues on a daily basis.
• Provide cleaning detergents for inmates to maintain cleanliness within the cell block.
The health authority had stated that the current situation was serious and requested immediate compliance.
The authority had also warned police that failure to comply would attract serious repercussions as stipulated in the Public Health Act.