More police for LNG: Potape

KOMO local level government president Thomas Potape wants the Government to establish a permanent base for  police for the LNG gas project in Komo.
Law and order problems have affected and even stalled early work.
Leaders like Mr Potape  are calling for strong and permanent police presence.
“Some police officers have been deployed and we have plans to allocate more funding to ensure law and order is maintained in Komo.
“The deployment of police on the ground must not be temporary but permanent with police personnel rotated every five to six months.
“The police strength on the ground must be between 50 and 60 personnel at a time for project security,” he said.
Mr Potape commended Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru, Komo-Margarima MP Francis Potape and the provincial executive council for imposing a liquor ban in the province to help ease some law and order woes.
“The liquor ban will bring a lot of change to Komo, Hela and Southern Highlands,” he said.
Mr Potape said efforts must be made by all stakeholders for the multi-billion LNG project to run smoothly.
He also called on Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to keep the same ministerial team to lead the project amid the mooted reshuffle.
He said the current team of Public Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare, National Planning Minister Paul Tiensten, Treasurer and Finance Minister Patrick Pruaitch,  Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma, Public Service Minister Peter O’Neill and Mr Agiru had done very well to bring the project to the current stage.
Mr Potape said landowners were waiting in anticipation on the outcome of the outstanding memorandum of agreement (MoA) signed at the UBSA in Kokopo and LBBSA in respect of the projects.
“We hope the Government will deliver some good news to settle the MoAs outstanding special support grants,” he said.