POM mobile squad leaves LNG sites, replacement to be sent in

THE police mobile squad unit redeployed at three LNG project construction sites have left the sites and will be replaced.
The Port Moresby-based mobile squad two (MS 02) members, who travelled to Moro last Thursday, left on Saturday while another mobile squad unit would be sent to replace them.
The MS 02 members had been stationed for four months at Gobe, Southern Highlands, and Gulf’s Kikori and Kopi where construction of facilities were underway for the laying of the pipeline from the gas fields to the coast to Port Moresby.
The 26-man squad from McGregor police barracks had been redeployed after an approval of K10 million for security operations by the national executive council during an emergency meeting last October 28.
MS 02 members were stationed in Tari but had been sent to the project sites on Oct 29 to restore the confidence of investors.
The redeployment was executed as a result of growing opposition from landowners over employment opportunities, working conditions and land pay issues.
Early work at the project sites had been targeted by the burning of equipment belonging to developer ExxonMobil’s construction contractor Clough Curtain Brothers Joint Venture at Kopi, strike at Komo airfield construction site and a stop work on the pipeline from Kopi to Kaiam and Mubi crossing.