PNGDF to help build police station

Story by GABRIEL FITO
THE West Yangoru local level government in East Sepik province has partnered with soldiers at the Second Royal Pacific Island Regiment, Moem Barracks, to build a new police station at Warabung along the Sepik highway.
The LLG gave K20,000 for the project, while Yangoru-Saussia MP and Governor Peter Wararu, through the joint districts planning and budget priority committee, committed another K150,000.
Acting LLG manager Brian Takoboi said as a government entity, the LLG was building an asset for the people and the police hierarchy would decide how it could be used.
Takoboi said the LLG was proud to work in partnership with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force by getting them to use their expertise in engineering and construction at a much cheaper rate than private building contractors.
Work started just before Christmas with a platoon from the field engineering department under the command of Lt Elvis Selwyn.
It is expected to be completed before general election duties start in April.
Ten auxiliary policemen from the LLG are helping the soldiers lay bricks as well as other general work.
Selwyn thanked the LLG for inviting the soldiers to expose their skills in construction, saying it was their role to provide aid to the civil power.
The building will accommodate two cell blocks and three or four office spaces.
The soldiers’ first engagement with community projects was the construction of classrooms at Kusambuk Primary School in the East Yangoru LLG, over a decade ago.
Wewak police station commander Snr Insp Charles Parinjo, who accompanied the PNGDF and LLG representatives to the site last week, praised the people, their LLG and the army for partnering to bring police services to their communities.
Parinjo said the station could become the police highway patrol base because it was conveniently located in the middle of the Sepik highway, which stretches into Lumi and Nuku districts in West Sepik.