Police helicopter grounded, Govt has other priorities

POLICE Minister Bryan Kramer, pictured, says police helicopter “High in the Sky” is not operating at present because parts were said to be stolen and no funding was available to fix it.
He said the Government was not able to fix the helicopter at the moment because law and order issues and the welfare of the people remained its priority.
Menyamya MP Thomas Pelika had queried the grounding of the helicopter.
Kramer said governments over the years were able to purchase the helicopter because the country was managed well and there was money allocated for its operation and maintenance.
“But now we have shortages in medicine, shortages in DSIP (district service improvement programme) funds, storages to build classrooms and many other important things to serve better our people.
“The helicopter cannot be fixed because there is no funding available to do so.
“I have received advice from police that the helicopter was grounded due to mechanical problems.
I heard that the parts were stolen. But the immediate concern for the police is not on spending millions on helicopter and flying around doing nothing.,” Kramer said.
“The priority of the new government is on the welfare of the people, ordinary citizens.
”He said law and order remained the greatest problem for the country and it also involved corruption from the highest level all the way to the small people, even people on the street.
“So we will first look at law and order to address the welfare of the people first.”
Kramer urged MPs to support and partner police to address crime in their districts and the country.