Tei: Success of election depends on police

THE success of the 2012 general election in the Highlands region largely depends police providing security, a senior officer says.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Police (ACP) Highlands Teddy Tei said this in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, last Friday while farewelling five senior policemen who have retired.
He said the police “will be like mirrors to allow transparency and accountability to prevail during the election” and that they would ensure people’s rights were not suppressed or compromised.
“The people in the Highlands are human beings who want to see a peaceful and successful election this year, they will assist police, however the police must be seen in the front line to take the battle for peaceful election,” Tei said.
He said police would be playing major roles in providing security during elections in the so-called volatile Highlands region.
Tei urged all members of the uniformed force to be geared up and ready to be deployed wherever duty called.
He thanked the five retiring members for the services they had rendered and wished them good luck in their future endeavours.
Commending them, he said it was good to see them call it a day while they had some years left in them because they could use that to engage in other meaningful civilian lives.
Tei called on them to help in election security from their respective locations as the “police blood is already in each of them”.
Those who retired are Chief Insp David Seine, Chief Sgt Michael Honjuri, Chief Sgt Kwila Gilbet, Snr Const Simon Walai and Snr Const  Tom Povai.
Likewise, Chief Sgt Sikau, who served in Eastern Highlands for over 40 years, is transferred to his home province of Milne Bay.