Manus police boss Maureen relishes divine gift

**Manus police commander Maureen Undaba with her mother Elizabeth Lomon. Her late dad was Jacob Pahun Hangatt.**

By HANNAH NERO
SENIOR Inspector Maureen Hangatt Undaba is drawing her strength, confidence and inspiration from the Bible verse (Philippians 4:13) – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” – as she begins her tenure as the Manus provincial police commander.
“I have the heart to serve my people of Manus both physically and spiritually. I have been praying to God to one day serve my people, and my prayers have been answered in my being posted here to Manus. I’m here by God’s will and I have faith that God will guide me in my service.”
She was born on Feb 3, 1973 in Aitape, Sandaun, although her family hails from Pityluh Island, Lorengau, Manus. She is the fifth eldest in a family of eight.
She and husband Senior Constable Phil Undaba have seven children.
“Dad was a school teacher at Yalingi, when I was born at the Ragu Hospital, Aitape in 1973. I attended the Vanimo Community School for Grade One. My dad became the education curriculum adviser and reformed the education system in WHP in 1982. My mom is German by blood.”
She completed a Diploma in Women in Public Sector Management at the Divine Word University from 2003 to 2005, and a Bachelor in Management degree programme from 2006 to 2008.

“ I have the heart to serve my people of Manus both physically and spiritually. I pray to God to one day serve my people, and my prayers have been answered in my coming here to Manus. I’m here by God’s will and I have faith that God will guide me in my service.”

**Inspector Anna Drakum, left, with Maureen Undaba.**

“The most recent training I had was a one-month international leadership training at the policing college in Ryton, United Kingdom, in 2023.”
Appointed the first woman to be the Manus police commander, she thanks Inspector Anna Drakum, now the officer in charge of public safety in Wabag, Enga, who first convinced her to become a police officer.
“Now I have been serving for 33 years in the police force, 20 of which as an internal investigator. I joined on May 31, 1991. My first posting after graduating from Bomana Police College was to the Boroko Police Station in March 1992.”
She later served in the highlands region including stints in Kandep, Enga, and Western Highlands. Now she has been given the opportunity to serve her people.
“I put my hand up to be the PPC for Manus because I believe I can do the job, despite being a woman. It does not really matter if one is a male or female.”
She knows that it is a demanding job which requires one to be ready to serve diligently and faithfully.
“I have worked hard and proven to be one who can do this job. Women can forget about stereotyping, backbiting and view the development of another person as theirs too. They should be happy. We are sisters regardless of what roles we play in our lives.”
Her main priority in her home province is to “enforce proactive policing, building of my human resource training, mainly investigations and prosecutions”.
“Above all, I want to see peace and good order prevailing in the community.”
Driving Manus PPC Senior Insp Maureen Hangatt Undaba on, is that Bible verse (Phil 4:13), knowing that it applies not only to Christian superheroes but also to every child of God in every situation in life, especially the tough ones. Indeed, no trial or tragedy is too hard to face, if one, like Snr Insp Undaba, has Jesus.