Maintenance of Jomba cells almost complete

THE delayed maintenance of the Jomba Police cell in Madang is expected to be completed over the next two months.
Officer in charge of the cell Constable Leo Ongan said Water PNG and a contractor had spent the past three weeks to fix the cell’s water connection.
Ongan said work on the old cell block was complete.
He said the new cell block, for juveniles and female detainees, had more work to be done on the pressure pump for waste removal.
The Madang National Court in December 2017 ordered the Madang government and Police Commissioner Gari Baki to fix the cell.
It took one year and six months to fix the old cell block and almost six months to fix the juvenile cell.
Justice David Cannings ordered the two authorities to provide funds for the upgrading and maintenance of the police cell.
The Jomba police cell was reportedly unfit for human occupation before the order was given.
Cannings had made nine orders respectively under sections 57(1), 57(3) and 57(5) of the Constitution.
Cannings ordered Madang government to provide K50,000 by Dec 11, 2017, of which half was to be paid to the contractor responsible for the recent construction of the juvenile and female cell blocks as part payment of the works completed.
The balance was to be paid to the police for the immediate works and activities required for fixing the main cell block.
Justice Cannings ordered the contractor responsible for the construction of the new juvenile and female cell block to accept the K25,000 as part payment.
He further ordered Baki to ensure that the balance due to the contractor be paid in full by Jan 31, 2018.
Ongan said the court would inspect the work on completion before reopening the facility.