Police storm treasury building
By REBECCA KUKU
A GROUP of police officers stormed into the treasury building in Tari, Hela, demanding to be paid their allowances for working during the state of emergency.
Governor Philip Undialu yesterday called it an act of “intimidation” and urged Police Commissioner and State of Emergency Controller David Manning to reprimand the officers involved.
“The controller who is also the police commissioner must discipline the policemen involved as there are proper processes to follow, not shutting down government offices and driving off with Government vehicles,” he said.
Hela police commander Teddy Agwi could not be reached for comment yesterday.
But policemen on the ground told The National that they had been working throughout the national emergency period and deserved to be paid allowances.
Undialu told The National that the policemen acted after reading on social media that the provincial government had already paid other security personnel and forgotten the police officers.
He said it was “fake news” and the man who posted it had been reported to police.
Undialu said the Hela government had already budgeted funding for the Covid-19 operations but was yet to receive the money from the Finance Department.
“People must understand that there is a state of emergency,” he said.
“There is limited cash flow and the disciplined forces should be serving the community instead of fighting for allowances. We will settle it once we resume work.”
25 comments
Shame on you policemen… typical highlander mentality. It is only in the Highlands region of PNG that you will come across such brazen, insane, and illegal activities by the very people that are supposed to be protecting the public/properties against them. SHAME ON YOU for lusting for money while others are suffering.
were they not paid their fortnightly salary??? Allowances can be paid once processes are in place. I know Police officers have sworn an oath to serve the people and the government of the day. So during SOE like we are currently experiencing will determine your oath. I suggest SOE Controller and Commissioner to reprimand them.
Dear Josef.R.Y,please specify your statement not all the highlands provinces are doing this.Its only one particular province Hela province is doing this,you have defamate the good reputation of some other highlands province like Simbu province who used to become first in service delivery in PNG for a consecutive years.And you must know that claiming for such allowance is not only practiced in the highlands it becomes norm for PNG as a whole,when you did any task assign by the government,first thing first you will claim for allowance for the task that you have done.Next time use some common sense…
EHP and now Hela. What are the EXTRA ORDINARY STRENEOUS LIFE THREATENING RISKS OUTSIDE OF THEIR MANDATED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES these police are carrying out especially when no Covid19 has been detected. If the government is paying them, why mot give money to all or preferably to all college students who are resuming.
EHP and now Hela. What are the EXTRA ORDINARY STRENEOUS LIFE THREATENING RISKS OUTSIDE OF THEIR MANDATED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES these police are carrying out especially when no Covid19 has been detected.
Government must consider the efforts of Police men. Pay them their allowances because some of the Police men work tirelessly day and night in order to maintain peace and safety for the communities. Nogat luksave blo government na how ol bai wok?
Wild West_Did you read the statement above or you go comment nating stap. Last sentence em tok ” There is limited cash flow so hence payments will be settled once they resume work. They are not only the ones sacrificing their time and effort in carrying out COVID-19 operations. Their are also other policemen and women out there waiting patiently for their allowances. That shows that they have been working all this for money and not for the health and safety of the citizens. Your qualified and trained to protect the nation and not to attack her with your power and force. Do your jobs accordingly, there are others suffering and living without food for than 2 to 3 days na upla usait? Be patient please.
Sometimes it is good to work with a good heart to serve your people. We will be rewarded much higher later by our good Lord and blessed even more.
This is total BS!! Mipla sampla health suppliers work throughout disla SOE nogat wanpla risk allowance or whatsoever from the private companies we work for. No proper PPE’s mipla gat, using our private cars to travel to work with our own fuel while getting robbed on the roads by some of these so-called men in blue. We are living on our agreed fortnightly salaries. Why are you crying to get allowance time yupla steal pinis lo planti blo mipla???
These idiots don’t need allowances, they are public servants employed by the state to work for the state and serve the people of this nation. Should do away with this stupid allowance culture in this country. Any allowance should be for food and accommodation for people coming in from other centres for temporary work.
the cops worked, they needed to be paid like every one else, this operation was successful because of them, cops withdraw and lets see what the provincial govt will do..
MASS WITHDRAWAL, MASS WITHDRAWAL NOW. BOYCOTT THIS SOE, /BOYCOTT SOE and lets see the Provincial govt and people of the province. Mark my word there will be serious law and order issue nationwide…
most of you civil servants and any other tom dick and harry, let me tell you, this people left their families to look after this nation some came from afar and are here because they follow order, what you have red in this paper is a result of frustration ,when one heading the finance dept not doing their job and diverting funds to wantoks and clan members out side of the organisation, they get hire cars and sleep in hotels with SOE funds, Cops know what they are doing, when you shake the head of the tree they will realise that they have been watched and know what is happening around their areas, so Governor PU get that massage, you will expect more shaking so that you get your men in order and pay them their dues or face similar consequences or face a similar fate … not long a stand off will occur and that will be a night mere…. JUST PAY THEM to avoid them.Its not that hard. Do not make it hard now for your self….and your govt.
The Policemen are paid 80 hrs to do the work, lets do away with this allowances, tose called on overtime, pay them overtime only. completely do away with these allowances.
Why is the government paying them allowances when they are being paid fortnightly? Maybe we all PNG citizens who have worked during the SOE period should ask the government for allowance.
“SAMPELA” POLISMAN BIN MEKIM HISTORY PINIS LONG BRUKIM HAUS PARLIAMENT, then the YANEPA BUILDING na NAU HELA PROVINCIAL BUILDING not for any other reason but for the SO-CALLED ALLOWANCE so what does that imply?????
Whose INTEREST are you serving????? There are other professionals who are working day and night during this SoE but never complained. Please em inap….
Pay them. What happened to those millions budget for covid 19? Are they kept in trust account for 2022 campaign? Government must do right thing. Hearing of Rumomers everyone talks about covid 19 money still kept in trust account.
Generally speaking, employees are happy to do their best when they are happy. These policemen should be paid their allowances as a form of incentive and motivation which should boost their self esteem. They deserve it and put yourself in their situation and see and experience it from their end. Just my thoughts. Thank you.
STOP COMPLAINING AND PAY THEM THEIR ALLOWANCES!! JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ORNINARY PUBLIC SERVANTS, POLICEMEN ARE NOT SLAVES, THEY RISK THEIR LIVES AND CARRYOUT GOVERNMENT ORDERS, THEY ARE THE FRONT LINERS. THEY HAVE FAMILIES TOO, THEY NEED TO BE PAID THEIR ALLOWANCES ON A TIMELY BASIS AND ONCE DUE. THEIR ACTIONS ARE INDIRECTLY TELLING YOU TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS OR FOLLOW UP WITH THEIR ALLOWANCES AND PAY THEM! ALLOWANCES ARE OVER DUE FOR PAYMENT. IT ALSO APPLIES TO SOLDIERS AND ANY PUBLIC SERVANTS INVOLVED IN THE SOE.
They deserve their allowances. The allowances starts as soon as they are called onto duty especially when the need arises (in this case the SOE) apart from their normal salary. They are working their butts off.
Its the normal procedure.
The Delaying tactic in processing their allowances is caused by some greedy crooks in the Provincial administration or Treasury.
Simple: Pay them what’s rightfully theirs.
Pay them accordingly, we have money in the National Government budgeted votes, that is why we have National Treasury Office and Provincial and District Treasuries offices in all provinces to facilitate due payment for service delivery and rendered to the state during the COVID 19 LOCKDOWN AND SOE PERIOD.
PLEASE DON’T THEIR ALLOWANCES PAY THEM BEFORE DISASTER HIT OUR PROVINCE AGAIN.
Over to your good hands Governor Philip Undialu and your Provincial Executive Council members
didn’t the police & army do the same thing to Parliament House to get their (unearned) “allowances” after the APEC scam. why do you think the undisciplined forces always get paid? because they have the guns.
Those in-disciple men in blue should not be in the police force. Sack them all for acting criminally. You have a duty to protect private and public property, not going around terrorising the public and damaging public property.
Let them ALL go back to their home provinces and we will see whether they can get another employment or not???? YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO BE IN THE POLICE FORCE
Further disaplinary action has to be taken on these regue officers ..
There are paid salary and why jeopardizing the public property ..
There fundamental duty is to protect and safe guard asserts a and lives of this Nation PNG,but now they have thrown away this and law that they enforce will twist and turn to get them cripal ….
were they not paid their fortnightly pay????? what more do they want when some public servants are experiencing pay cuts???
Governor its your province and you should know every activities happening in your Province of Hela,You should set some emergency funds aside to use in when needs arises,well you as the CEO of the province should know how to handle issues within the province,You as the leader of the province should stand alone for the issues of Hela by putting in planning to rescue Hela from all ill activities happening,it is shameful for you to go in the media to accuse the disciplinary forces on the ground,Please Hela is not like other provinces where people respect Law and Order,For the presence of the disciplinary forces that makes the different,please Governor go to Hela and you will fell is risk involves.You are not the PM, James is the PM, YOU ARE THE MANDATED GOVERNOR COME DOWN TO HELA AND FEEL FOR YOUR SELF HOW THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED YOU FELLS.Please pay the Allowances for this officers ASAP,they deserve it because all of you that make comment have to understands the high risks in this operations COVID 19 in hela,Taris in POM stop making comments about it because you dont feels the pinch of an disciplinary officer serving in HELA, Governor if you a confuses which way to seek advises to run your province then look to your OPENA brother the CHIEF for Advice’s,i know he will be in a better position to advice cause evidences have shown us that you are confused in running the operations of HELA,
Pay them… PNG is full of money but kept hidden and only known to the politicians and his comrades…. PNG we must not fight among ourselves as we don’t even know.. Some even use the money to build empire overseas.
Comments are closed.