Repair of police station to start

By MARJORIE FINKEO
REPAIRS and reconstruction of the Boroko police station will start next month, assistance commissioner logistics Tony Duwang says.
Duwang said the project committee would meet today to obtain the approval for the contractors to start work on the K3million project.
“The funds are available with this year’s appropriation and we are going through the documentation now,” he said.
The station is currently run down with unhygienic toilet facilities with three toilets currently closed, showers broken, the cell block in a poor condition with no ventilation, equipment at the main operation centre defunct, broken roof, not enough chairs and tables in the offices and air conditions no longer working. A recent visit by health inspectors from the National Capital District and PNG Trade Union Congress executives rated the station as not fit for human use because detainees were at high risk of contracting diseases and getting sick.
Police union president Lowa Tambua said keeping detainees in the closed cell block without ventilation while they eat, showered, toileted and slept in the same place was unhealthy.
“How can authorities and public expect a prisoner to go back to the community as a changed person when we are supposed to rehabilitate with proper place to keep them,” he said.
“Such treatment cause mental problem.”