Landowners crying foul over police actions on logging site

By HELEN TARAWA
Wanigela landowners in Northern have called on Police Commissioner Gari Baki to investigate a land matter in their area.
The landowners, who travelled to Port Moresby, claimed that policemen had taken over the Northern Forest Project site and were threatening employees and the local people. Spokesman Nathan Dave, who is also the general-manager of Aisor Development Corporation, said people had left the land because of “renegade-type” operations by police.
“Can we have those rogue policemen moved out of our home please?” he asked. “They are still there as we speak now.
“I cannot understand how police are not under the authority of a commissioner but a provincial politician.
“How many applicable laws of this independent State have we bent, disrespected or broken?”
Northern police commander Lincoln Gerari, in a brief to Baki, said Governor Gary Juffa had reported that timber and logs were being stolen from portions 136 and 137 in Wanigela.
He said the complaint was against a foreign company harvesting logs from portions 136 and 137.
“A team of police personnel under my command, including lands adviser and labour officer, were sent to Wanigela to carry out investigation into the theft of timber and logs from the State land and to prevent further illegal logging of timber from the area,” Gerari said.