St John advised to stop service

The National Main Stories

RECOMMENDATIONS will be made to St John Ambulance to stop its services to Moresby South and parts of Central after their vehicles were attacked during the New Year operations.
This is the action police from the National Capital District and Central are willing to take to ensure the lives of medical workers are protected, Assistant Commissioner of Police and National Capital District/Central commander Anthony Wagambie Jr said.
“I condemn the attack on the St John Ambulance over the festive period and into New Year,” he said.
“This is totally unnecessary and disgusting.
“The actions of a few will affect the rest of the community because the safety of health workers has to be guaranteed first.
“The St John Ambulance crew were stoned by, who I refer to as ‘hooligans’, when they were on medical emergency run.
“One of the crew sustained injuries from a huge rock thrown through the window of the ambulance.
“People must start to understand, you cannot go around attacking health workers.
“Medical workers treat everyone, regardless of who you are, even criminals.
“St John Ambulance have been doing a tremendous job in attending to medical emergencies.”
ACP Wagambie said if these unprovoked attacks continued and there was no guarantee of safety then “we would recommend that ambulance services to those communities be cut off”.

12 comments

  • We can say this and that, but that will not help to combat such social issues. Alcohol consumption is causing all these problem so up to you concern authorities.

    • This is true we should have more awareness on alcohol abuse and rehabilitation centres built as well. Alcohol and drugs are ruining our society.

  • Youths this days have gone out of hand. With ones stupidity, causes the whole community to face its consequences. I personally do not think stopping St Johns Ambulance from its helpful and generous service is a good idea for they are legit to the job they do by saving lives.
    This incident is for the Police Department to investigate or do awareness to help the community to change this bad attitudes.

  • Rather than stopping St Johns Ambulance service must be a last option.Are there any other options to choose?It is now up to the Police and affected communities to work together and investigate to identify those culprits and get them behind bars.

  • I agree. The production, importation, handling and sale of all types of alcohol and in all places in PNG should be banned. Over to you…the authorities.

  • Sever this service to this part of NCD. The community knows who these criminals are but do not want to assist Police. Thus they are guilty by association. It’s not Police duty to go around telling hooligans what is wrong or right. We are in the 21st century so everyone should know basic law and live like civilized people.

  • This immature response coming from the assistant commissioner is uncalled for. People need ambulances for life saving treatment and transport to hospitals. He should come up with a better community policing strategy for the festive period rather than being so reactive and negative in his approach to this problem. If police patrols were more visible in these areas, then the drunken youths would not be so visible on the roadside hurtling rocks at passing vehicles.

  • I hope the churches intervene and conduct crusade and outreach for the souls of our youths

  • Wrong reaction by top cop.
    He should say we will stop such criminal actions so as to allow free movement of ambulances and other vehicles on our roads.
    That is the role of the police in the community.
    By the way ‘Collective punishment’ is against UN Human rights,

  • Just a consent or suggesting can community leaders can come up with something so that St John Ambulance will continue to give service to the people like Morata did on 2016

  • Maybe Pom General Hospital is in the same elecotorate that is why the people of Moresby South demonstrtaed by stoning the ambulance that they do not need this service. They can walk to the hospital when required.

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