Readers condemn storming of Parliament by security officers

TUESDAY, Nov 20, has left a stain in the history of this country, especially in the aftermath of the Apec business and leaders’ summits in Port Moresby.
As members of the Apec Security Task Force stormed parliament to protest the late payment of their allowances, elsewhere in the city of Port Moresby opportunists took advantage of the unstable situation and tried to loot shops at Tokarara, Gordon, Erima, Boroko, Waigini, Gerehu and other areas.
A full investigation should be carried out into both disturbances. The storming of Parliament by members of the disciplined forces showed poor and unprofessional behaviour.
Generally, police behaviour was bad. In one instance last Tuesday, a police officer was seen in broad daylight urinating beside a police van.
In another case, another was seen dropping his full can of SP Lager.
Then a soldier was caught red-handed at the Total service station towards Wildlife, tucking his uniform outer shirt and cap under his left arm and sprinting across the road while frantically calling on his mobile phone.
Something is not right. The Government need to explain.

Visitor, NCD

I AM so annoyed and disturbed by what a minority in the Apec Security Task Force did in the Parliament building on Tuesday last week in Port Moresby.
It is a shame. This is a criminal act at its worse.
Those men went against the State and what they did was treasonous and they should be charged and made to pay for the damage they did.
The Speaker should not feel sorry for these people or pass on the blame. The perpetrators do not deserve forgiveness and there should not be any cover-up for to storm Parliament is to challenge the sanctity of the House and the sovereignty of the country.
What if some other people do the same thing?
Will they be charged or set free?
This is total madness and criminal.
The people of this country must demand the immediate resignation of the Police and Correctional Services commissioners.
In other countries heads would roll immediately, but not in Papua New Guinea. What is wrong with this country?

Really Fed Up

I AM disappointed that a major State property, the symbol of our sovereignty and mark of our Independence, was attacked by protesting police and prison officers – public servants – who caused mayhem and damage inside and outside the Parliament building.
Do they not have loyalty to their oath and uniform anymore? Were they aware of these when going to Parliament?
Why didn’t the national intelligence office, the police intelligence unit and the military intelligence unit know about this beforehand?
If they had known, why was Prime Minister Peter O’Neill not told so he could have convened an emergency security meeting to put in place measures to protect the Parliament and stop subsequent disturbances?
How come other countries are able to foresee security threats and advise their heads of government accordingly?
We really need to improve our intelligence and counter-intelligence operations in PNG.

Luimack Johnson
Community Leader