Manning is new police chief

By REBECCA KUKU and GYNNIE KERO
DAVID Manning has been appointed acting police commissioner by the National Executive Council (NEC).
Police Minister Bryan Kramer announced Manning’s appointment yesterday in a press conference at the police headquarters in Port Moresby and said that NEC had decided to revoke the appointment of Francis Tokura as acting commissioner in view of the upcoming referendum in Bougainville.
He said that Tokura was the best candidate, with his experience, to oversee and conduct the referendum.
“So NEC has decided to reinstate him as the Chief of Police in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and has appointed David Manning, who is the second most senior officer in the constabulary, as the acting commissioner and Donald Yamasombi as acting ACP operations.”
Both acting appointments are only for three months.
Tokura said it was wrong to appoint an acting senior officer in place of another acting officer.
“The whole reason for my removal is that he (Kramer) said I had declined to carry out instructions that he had given me. I reminded him that the office of the police commissioner is a constitutional office and whoever occupies is a constitutional office holder and he is not to be directed by any minister.”
Kramer said that the decisions by NEC were made after taking into consideration the command, control and administration issues that the constabulary was facing and the Bougainville referendum.
“I would also like to clarify that the decision was made by 33 members of the National Executive Council and not just by me,” he said.
“Applications for the police commissioner, and two deputy commissioners are currently being vetted and screened by the Department of Personnel Management, after which they will send three names to the minister responsible who will then bring them to cabinet for a decision.” Tokura said constant changes in the constabulary would cause instability.
He claimed that the steps taken by Kramer to remove him were wrong.
“It could be seen as a breach in the leadership code as well. He has on so many occasions tried to run the operational affairs of the organisation which is wrong. He as minister should be worried about the policy matters for the organisation.
“Why can’t my appointment (as acting commissioner) be left until it ceases (after 3 months) which is more logical.”
Tokura said he became aware of his removal through a Watsapp message from Kramer following a cabinet meeting on Monday.
Kramer said: “NEC makes the decision to hire and fire so the revoking of his acting position was not made by me, it was made by the NEC.”
He said that he was the one who submitted Tokura’s name for consideration by NEC for the acting commissioner’s position because at that time he was the only neutral person in the constabulary who could come in and stabilise the constabulary.
Manning said despite the many challenges in the constabulary, he and Yamasombi were looking forward to working with the 7,000 policemen and women to rebuild the constabulary.
“Many in the constabulary will accept the NEC decision appointments while some will take time,” he said.
Manning said they did not take the appointments lightly and understood that their appointments would be revoked if they didn’t perform.