Wagambie off to PDL7

 ACTING Police Commissioner Tony Wagambie is expected to travel to Hides today with more police reinforcements and a high level team of government officials to asses the situation and oversee police operations at Hides 4 in Southern Highlands.

According to Wagambie, investigations will commence immediately and additional police manpower would remain in the province until normality was fully restored.

Wagambie assured all stakeholders involved in the LNG project that all measures would be taken by police to protect lives and properties.

He described the recent attack by angry villagers as an isolated incident, completely unrelated to the ongoing landowner grievances, but stressed that all threats related to LNG project operations would not be taken lightly. 

Wagambie said according to reports from Hides, relatives of a deceased child had tried to seek assistance from Clough Curtain Joint Venture Company but only one of them was allowed into the camp which prompted those who were refused to go on a rampage. 

He said opportunists and criminals, numbering more then 200 joined the group and went into the company’s premises attacking people and properties. 

Wagambie appealed to the people of Hides and Southern Highlands to abstain from attacking innocent people and properties, adding that there were more appropriate means to address their grievances  instead of resorting to violence.

He also appealed  for people to assist police and law enforcement agencies to preserve peace and good order.