Officers to be deployed

By JAMIE HARO
POLICE Commissioner David Manning says election planning and operations are on track with the police personnel to be deployed on Monday.
“By June 6, we will see the deployment of the first contingent (security) team which is the Quick Response Force (QRF) to provinces for election operations,” he said.
Manning said within the next week both police and military personnel would be deployed to the provinces to begin work in the communities through awareness programmes.
“Election security is everyone’s business, and not the sole responsibility of government security forces to deliver a free, fair and safe elections.”
He added that it was the people’s responsibility to conduct their election related activities in a lawful manner especially during the campaign period.
Manning also urged the people to stop acts of violence and intimidation such as burning vehicles, property, flags and merchandise belonging to political parties and candidates.
“Our QRF will be out in numbers not only work with the communities but educate them on the offences related to destruction of properties and merchandises belonging to political parties as it is an electoral offence.”
He said this is in relation to recent instances that had occurred in the Highlands.
“The QRF will be there to ensure that there won’t be any repetition of such incidents throughout the campaign period.”
Meanwhile, the Gulf Police Command received two new vehicles for election operations.
Manning said the vehicles were part of a pool of 40 purchased by the Police Department to be distributed to all provincial commands.
“Rather than hiring, we made a decision to purchase vehicles to assist us deliver duty operations for the elections, and beyond in serving our respective provinces and the communities,” Commissioner Manning said.
Gulf provincial police commander Chief Inspector Jeffery Lemb said one of the vehicles would be deployed to Kikori while the other would remain in Kerema.

Marum banks on leadership garnered from years in sport

By MICHAEL PHILIP
FORMER Hunters and Kumuls coach Michael Marum says he is confident in stepping into politics and will take from his experience as a manager and leader over his career in sports.
The 48-year-old, who did not renew his contract as Kumuls coach earlier this year to run for the East New Britain regional seat, told supporters at his rally at Queen Elizabeth Park in Rabaul on Friday that leadership was the same across different areas of society.
“Whether you are leader in sports or in politics, it all depends on how you lead,” he said.
“For me, I played my leadership roles and responsibilities in sports for so long and I see no difference and I can try it in politics.
“For as long as you lead and deliver for the people you’re already defining leadership.

“I am coach and I know how to build a team and with that experience I can build a perfect team for East New Britain into the future.”
The 2017 premiership winning coach for the SP PNG Hunters said despite enjoying his time in the sporting arena in rugby league in Papua New Guinea over more than 20 years as a player and coach, he was spurred to enter a new field with the aim of improving the lives of his people and building a successful province.
He said he wanted to exercise the style of leadership he showed in sports built on discipline, commitment, hard work and putting the team first.
Marum is credited with ushering one of the country’s most successful sports entities, the Hunters, and improving PNG’s standing as an improved test nation.
Marum’s other work in the sport domestically has seen him initiate programmes, lift standards and drive rugby league development around the country.
Marum also acknowledged his coaches, mentors, colleagues and the sports administrators who contributed to his development.
Under the slogan ‘Leadership is not a position, it’s an action’, Marum said, “You can be a leader, you can talk but when you don’t do the action, nothing happens.”