More work needed: Officer

 By SIMON NIANFOP

A LOT of planning and preparation need to be done before implementing the death penalty, according to Correctional Commissioner Michael Waipo.

The death penalty was approved by the National Executive Council in 2014.  He said proper planning and implementation must be done by the inter-agency committee comprising members of the departments of Justice and Attorney-General, Health, Community Development, National Planning and Monitoring, National Judicial Staff Services, CS and police.

“They have been tasked by Cabinet to oversee the implementation of the death penalty. “The execution options are by firing squad, lethal injection and hanging. Prison authorities will need to have the chambers and facilities to carry out the execution properly and professionally, plus the training of officers. The committee will discuss which roles each government agency will perform and take it back to Cabinet for approval. We are dealing with human lives. We just cannot rush things. We’ve got to do it properly because in PNG, it is far more serious than anywhere in the world, the law is something but our culture is something else,” he said.

 The setting up of the facilities will cost around K200 million.