Morobe law officer wants power

By PISAI GUMAR
MOROBE provincial law and order chairman Peter Namus wants the provincial executive council to give him authority to address the escalating lawlessness in Lae.
Namus was unable to clarify the sort of authority he meant when saying he needed “more power” to look into the problem.
He urged the Morobe community and leaders to collaborate and resolve their own backyard problems before pointing at others.
“Never point fingers at responsible authorities and agents, but let us share and discuss ways on how to uproot our own problems caused by ourselves to set standards in place so that outsiders who migrate to Lae will follow,” Namus said.
“People have problems and to address problems, we need creative ideas to tackle them.”
Namus said law and order issues could only be minimised if landowners, youths, women groups and leaders came forward to work together. He appealed to them to come forward now.
Namus spoke at Bumayong after receiving a 12-page petition from the Nabaks related to fighting and killing between Kabwum’s resulted in closing of the market two weeks ago.
“We migrate to urban areas for various reasons and purposes, not to fight and kill ourselves or destroy properties and that mentality needs to be changed.”
While the Nabak community opted for “eviction only” as the best option to address settlement issues he asked the government to implement the Vagrancy Act to control urban drift.
Nabak law and order chairman Pesa Takos said Nabaks were tired of crime activities at Bumayong and would never submit to any ill-will but stood by the constitution,  and police to identify all criminal hotspots and uproot them.
Lae metropolitan police commander Supt Nema Mondiai said police were capable of curtailing lawlessness but needed logistics support for the 270 policemen for a city population of 300,000.
“We need leaders with a vision who can initiate proactive measures to address law and order issues,” Mondiai said.