Lae to host PM’s party meet

 By CLEMENT KAUPA

A DELEGATION of 60-plus cabinet ministers, MPs and People’s National Congress party executives will accompany Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to Lae, Morobe, tomorrow.

Governor Kelly Naru, who is in Port Moresby, is expected to lead the delegation into the province for a party convention on Thursday and Friday.

Superintendent operations and chief of security for the visit, Insp Fred Kaiwa revealed those details yesterday when detailing the security preparations on the ground in Morobe’s capital.

Kaiwa said 50 policemen and women with 20 vehicles, mostly hire cars, would be deployed to provide around-the-clock security from Wednesday through to Saturday when O’Neill leaves.

“The security operations will involve a lot of foot patrols in the city but will be mostly concentrated around the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium area where the convention will be held,” he said. 

“We have been planning and preparing for this high-level visit for the past three weeks.” 

Kaiwa said the bulk of the delegation would be staying at the Lae International Hotel for the duration of the convention.

This will be O’Neill’s second visit to Lae, the first being last month when he officiated at the opening of Majestic Seafoods, a K78 million tuna processing factory.

Lae residents anticipate O’Neill will reaffirm his commitment to develop an international terminal for Nadzab Airport and a proposed township for Nadzab.