Provincial boundaries face rise in crimes

CRIMINAL activities such as sea piracy and drug trafficking between the provincial boundaries of Morobe and Oro are on the rise and government agencies responsible for law and order in both provinces need to address the issue, a meeting heard.
The Morobe land dispute committee (MPLDC) is planning a trip to Oro, to observe how government agencies in the law and justice sector address land disputes and mediations, including handling other criminal activities such as, sea piracy and transportation of illegal drugs between the two provinces.
MPLDC chairman and Morobe’s Snr Magistrate Pious Tapil made the proposed trip known during the MPLDC’s first meeting for the year after a delegation from Oro with its provincial land dispute committee members visited Morobe last May, to learn about how the province handled and addressed land dispute issues.
Tapil said currently there had been an upsurge in sea piracy and drug trafficking in the area.
Law and order agencies from both provinces need to work together to address criminal activities along its coastline.
“The Oro team was here to learn, especially the administrative processes involved in land disputes and the structures the province have,” he said.
Tapil said the purpose of the trip by the Oro team last year was focus on the two province (Morobe and Oro) to share ideas and learn from Morobe’s experience on how they addressed law and order issues.
“The proposed return-trip to Oro will help us see some of the things they are doing and learn from them.
“After all we share a common land boundary and there a lot of outstanding issues that deal with border issues between Morobe and Oro.”
Tapil said there were some important projects that could be affected by land disputes and authorities needed to be prepared to address them.
The meeting also heard that there were also outstanding issues with navigational aids and towers.