Mangape praises security forces

By JEFFREY ELAPA

MEMBERS of the security forces engaged in the state of emergency callout in the Porgera area has been commended for a job well-done.

Member for Laigamp Porgera Mine Nixon Mangape said by phone from Porgera that law and order that had crippled the district and the gold mine had been stabilised after the declaration of the SOE by the National Executive Council last year.

Mr Mangape, also a chief landowner of the world class Porgera Gold said credit should go to the national Government for the short term intervention to address law and order and other illegal activities in the gold town.

He said the members of the joint security forces also deserved to be commended for doing a marvellous job in containing law and order problems and bring normalcy into Porgera.

He said the New Year has been a quiet period and families enjoyed and celebrated a true festive season in the presence of the security forces led by Norman Kambo and his counterpart from the PNG Defence Force.

He said when the call-out was made, the NEC approved a daily allowance of K200 but since the engagement the members of the security forces were receiving only K100.

“This is unacceptable, they need to be paid their ful allowance of K200 and I call on the authorities to pay the funds to PJV so that they manage and pay the members of the force and not through the police and defence force as part of their allowance has been diluted somewhere along the way,” he said.

However, he said the recent call-out is a temporary measure to address the feuding issues affecting the world’s second gold mine and the surrounding communities.

He said in the long run, the government through the Police Minister Robert Atiafa and police commissioner Jeffery Vagi are tasked to set up a permanent mobile squad base in Porgera.