Talks start on plan for ‘tourist’ police

TOURIST police is an option that may deter crime in the sector, says Melanesia Tourism Services (MTS) managing director Sir Peter Barter.
He said crime kept away “not only tourists, but investors” while noting that MTS operations had not been affected as much as other operators.
This was said with last week’s incidents in Milne Bay and Hela in mind. Tourists were held in the two provinces, capturing global media attention and condemnation from the Tourism Promotion Authority and PNG Government.
“We have not experienced any incidents involving our guests and clients but something must be done to introduce tourist police, or reserved tourist police, who could be perhaps trained by the police to undertake work in providing security. If we see a risk, we have always requested police to travel with clients or groups, we will continue with this practice,” Barter said.
“In 50 years of operating tours, MTS has never experienced any problems with our clients being targeted.
“Obviously, we must ensure visitors as well as our own citizens are protected and it is the responsibility of the police to provide this protection.
“It is a problem that will continue to grow unless we act on the cause, not the symptoms.”
Barter explained that the cause was there being limited options for youths to be involved in and benefit in the investments attracted by government policies.
Deputy Prime Minister and MP for Alotau Charles Abel noted that there were plans by the Milne Bay government to have tourist police. “We are talking about piloting a long-talked-about concept as one of our actions within the sector and this is the tourist police, where we can have a special section and they have a specific function to look after some of our tourists that come in to PNG,” he said.
“But at the same time, in a general sense, it creates a presence, particularly in the maritime areas such as we are talking about for north coast of Alotau district then onto other areas of Milne Bay and onto the other areas of the country.
“We are combining our resources and putting our heads together to get this concept up and moving based around a series of police stations and then with a mobile maritime team that is able to do a regular patrol of these areas and then when you have tourists, they can be within the area for escorts – just to give that further comfort.
“We understand that we need to create opportunities for our young people, but we appeal to them to try and help us in this process.
It helps nobody if we go out intimidating or stealing from tourists, which only serves to worsen the problem.”
Abel said this last week at a press conference attended by Police Minister Jelta Wong, Tourism Minister Emil Tammur and Attorney-General and Esa’ala MP Davis Steven.