Wagambie Jr: Few companies provide fuel for Madang police

ONLY a few companies willingly provide fuel to help police in Madang maintain law and order, provincial police commander Anthony Wagambie Jr says.
He said the force used six ageing vehicles and lacked manpower.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Wagambie refuted claims by the Madang Chamber of Commerce on the declining law and order situation there.
He said the comments by chamber president John Davidson and Divine Word University vice-president academic Brother Andrew Simpson were unrealistic and a slap in the face for the dedicated policemen and women in Madang.
“There are few companies that willingly provide fuel to assist police in community policing efforts to curtail law and order,” he said.
“Some expatriates never assist police as they think that providing fuel was for police to attend to them regularly.
“Police are mandated to provide security to all citizens to maintain law and order for a just, secure and safe community. Police have no strings attached to any company.
“Despite the ageing vehicles and lack of logistics, manpower, firearms and ammunition, we struggle and use available resources to the best so that we provide for the community.”
Wagambie said to maintain peace and harmony in six districts, the Rapid Response Unit was overused but they remained dedicated.
“The declining law and order as claimed, is an attitude problem and social issue created mostly by youths and needed collective effort and support from all stakeholders and companies to address.
“Those few companies that assist police are Ramu NiCo, RD Tuna, Papindo and small Asian shops that mobilise together to assist during riots, Christmas and New Year operations.
“I do attend chamber meetings regularly, providing police reports but the chamber has become stagnant without addressing issues, resulting in me losing interest, and likewise for some companies,” he said.
Wagambie urged the chamber to come down to the ground to experience the reality before making damaging comments.