Police take control of looting during strike

POLICE quickly put a lid on unrest in Port Moresby when opportunists tried to loot shops in daylight on Tuesday.
Police said these happened as members of the Joint Security Task Force protested in Parliament over the non-payment of their Apec allowances.
“There were attempts to loot shops at Koki, Gerehu, Erima and 9-Mile after opportunists took advantage of the JSTF members protesting over their allowances,” said Metropolitan police commander Superintendent Perou N’dranou.
“Despite limited manpower, my officers were able to disperse these opportunists. However, a shop was looted at Tokarara, but police arrived quickly and prevented other shops from been looted.”
Perou said that PNG Defence Force soldiers had allegedly threatened staff of the Joint Security Task Force over their allowances on Monday.
“They went to the Oakley Haus on Monday to demand their allowances.
“The JSTF management were based at Oakley Haus in Hohola. And on Tuesday police and PNG Correctional Services officers
went and caused damage to the national Parliament over their allowances.
“Many of these members came from other provinces and combined with Port Moresby-based officers. But these incidents will be investigated by the JSTF management. But for me, I am now conducting investigations after a soldier damaged a fence with a new bus donated by our international partners for use during Apec.
“The soldier engaged by JSTF had driven the bus and crashed into the Carr Memorial School’s fence at Ensisi on Sunday night.”