Police: Ban night bus trips

 A PROVINCIAL police commander in the Highlands wants the “tulait-tulait” bus service banned.

Chimbu provincial police commander Albert Beli said he wanted the service withdrawn because of the increasing number of road accidents and criminal activities by night travellers. The tulait-tulait service is provided at night by PMVs   that travel from Lae and Madang to the Highlands and vice-versa.

“Many complaints have been lodged with us (police) regarding this bus service, therefore I want it banned,” Beli said.

“Many road accidents and hit-and-run killings have occurred recently because of late travelling on tulait-tulait buses,” Beli said.

He cited the killing of a young school teacher in Eastern Highlands last year as an example.

“I have talked with the ACP (Assistant Commissioner of Police) Highlands region about a ban of the tulait-tulait buses and he has supported the idea,” Beli said.

Beli said he would implement a complete ban starting from Kenangi, in the Chimbu-Eastern Highlands border, to Miunde, in the Chimbu-Jiwaka border.

“I want the drivers of the tulait-tulait buses to know that the lives of the people they are carrying are very precious,” Beli said. “They (drivers) must rest well, have enough sleep and drive the buses,” he said.

Beli urged vehicle owners not to think about making fast money and force their drivers and crew to go on tulait-tulait trips. 

He said the smuggling of dangerous firearms into the Highlands from the coast was done through  tulait-tulait buses when there are no police roadblocks.