Minister proud of Aussie officers’ work

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Friday February 21st, 2014

 By JOHN ZAUYA

AUSTRALIAN Justice Minister Michael Keenan completed his three-day visit to Papua New Guinea at the Gordon’s Market, Port Moresby, before departing for Australia. 

Keenan said his visit to Gordon Market was an opportunity to see the progress that the Australian Federal Police (AFP) are doing in terms of law and order problems in Port Moresby. 

He said the purpose of the programme to bring in AFP officers to PNG was to assist in providing an advisory role to help the Royal Papua New Guinea constabulary officers to do their jobs better and to the best of their ability.

“I am proud of what the Australian Federal Police have achieved here in conjunction with their local counterparts,” Keenan said.

“It is a great example of the co-operation between the Australian government and PNG government.”

He said both governments should be proud of the enhancements done to improve law and order on the streets of Port Moresby and Lae.

As part of the final leg of his visit, he reaffirmed Australia’s support for PNG’s law and justice priorities, including transnational crime and policing, Bomana War Cemetery and the Bomana Police College where he visited before Gordons’.  

At Bomana Police he met six AFP advisors working with the Royal PNG Constabulary in supporting management and trainers there including some of the new probationary constables who graduated last week.

“I was delighted to meet and congratulate some of the 223 new probationary constables who graduated last week,” Keenan said. 

“The training they have received and their ongoing professional development in years to come will be vital for the modernisation of the RPNGC.”

He laid a wreath at the Bomana War Cemetery, which contains 3,823 Commonwealth memorials from the World War II, including the remains of 702 unidentified servicemen. 

He left for Australia yesterday afternoon.