Be in your best behavior for GE22: Manning
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
Be in your best behavior
for GE22: Manning
PORT MORESBY: Police Commissioner David Manning has
appealed to Papua New Guineans to cooperate and be in their best behavior for
General Election 2022 (GE22).
“Let us all work
together to ensure a free, fair and safe GE22. Stand united with us so that we
can safely elect our leaders for the 11th Parliament,” he added.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below a few news updates on the coming GE22, as reported by The National:
Behave during election
May 3, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
POLICE Commissioner David Manning has appealed
to Papua New Guineans to cooperate and be in their best behaviour for this
year’s general election.
“Let us all work together to ensure a free, fair and safe general election.
Stand united with us so that we can safely elect our leaders for the 11th
Parliament,” he added.
Manning said the police could only do just that much “for security with its
limited resources.
“We need all 11 million plus Papua New Guineans to be disciplined to exercise
our democratic electoral rights for an important decision for the country,” he
added.
Manning said election hopefuls should restrain their supporters from resorting
to any form of violence throughout the campaign period and polling day.
“Do not resort to use of threats,” he said.
“Your leadership qualities begin now.”
Manning said the challenges for the general election were not only the people.
“We will be challenged by the weather as well as the terrain, as experienced in
previous general elections,” he said.
Meanwhile, police have imported three new armoured vehicles for the general
election and tactical operations during other events.
Police Minister William Onglo said that vehicles were like tools for police to
carry out their duties and would be used by joint task force security agencies
during operations.
“We’ve never had armoured vehicles before, not even the Papua New Guinea
Defence Force has such vehicles,” he said.
“These armoured vehicles will be available and will be used by all security
agencies not just police but Defence and Correctional Services too when they
need it or during joint security operations.”
Onglo said too many lives had already been lost.
“So many times we have put the lives of our policemen and women at risk, so
it’s time we equip them with the resources they need to do their job,” he said.
“Times are changing, even criminals have evolved over time, and we must also
equip our security forces to be able to deal with these.”
Onglo said they were also looking into ways to improve police air support.
“We need helicopters, armoured ships, planes etc, in these changing times to
keep up with the trend of hostile situations that are facing us,” he said.
Onglo said they were working to get a police helicopter up in the air again.
PM wants ROs from Govt
May 3, 2022The
NationalMain Stories, Uncategorized
He said this when appealing to PNG electoral commission workers to uphold the
integrity of the commission during their processing of the general election.
Marape was speaking yesterday following a returning officer’s sentencing by
Justice Theresa Berrigan to seven years’ jail for “corruptly receiving K184,300
to influence the outcome of the elections for a National Capital District seat
in the 2017 election” as reported in yesterday’s The National.
He said all returning officers, assistant returning officers, presiding
officers, counting officials and security personnel must at all times do their
jobs and conduct themselves with the highest level of integrity, dignity and
decorum from the start to the finish of this year’s general election.
“I appeal to them to take their tasks very seriously,” he said.
“This is not about allowances that you are receiving or the possibility of
bribery that you might be offered.
“These is about country first.
“This is about the important task that you have in protecting the sanctity of
the electoral process that the people are given once in every five years, which
is their Constitutional right.
“Today’s (yesterday’s) headline is a reminder that election offence is
punishable.
“We see one former returning officer being jailed for seven years.
“Under my watch, I intend to support and promote the integrity of the elections
and their processes.
“My Government is making the money available to support a free and fair
elections.
“We want the 2022 general election to be safe and fair.
“We have invited Transparency International and observers into the steering
committee for the election planning and so everyone is aware of the prevailing
circumstances in which the election is held right around the country.
“I am recommending strongly to the Electoral Commissioner to pick good people
for the positions of returning officers and assistant returning officers to be
public servants and church workers.
“Church workers are accountable to God and the public servants are accountable
to the Government.”
Marape said many election-related petitions did end up in the Court of Disputed
Returns and so those engaging in unscrupulous activities do stand a higher
chance of getting caught and punished.
“It is time we eliminate this from the system and allow our people to cast
their vote for the leader of their choice,” he said.
“It is their Constitutional right and it is the Electoral Commission’s duty to
ensure that this right is translated into a vote.
“Hold yourself in good standing as we support the Electoral Commissioner
deliver a safe and fair elections for 2022.”
Governor Parkop shows ABG delegation city
programmes
National Capital
District Governor Powes Parkop leading a female parliamentary delegation from
the Autonomous Region of Bougainville at Parliament in Port Moresby recently. –
Picture supplied
WOMEN’S rights
advocate and National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop recently hosted a
lunch meeting in Parliament with a visiting women’s delegation from the
Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARoB).
The delegation was led by ABG deputy speaker Therese Kaeravara and her
counterpart, North Bougainville women’s representative Amanda Masono.
The meeting was also attended by Active City Development programme (ACDP)
director Fazilah Bazari, PNG Women’s Council representative Dorothy Tekwie,
first secretary to Governor Parkop’s office Immaculate Javia and Beatrice Taleu
of United Nations Development Programme.
ACDP shared important information and strategies with the delegation on how to
mobilise and make womenfolk and youths be health conscious and take personal
responsibility for their behavioural choices in life.
Drawing from the success of ACDP in the city, Parkop urged the women leaders
not only to use sports but initiate other activities and programmes that were
non-competitive, accessible and inclusive. Thanking Parkop for his continuous
advocacy in the space of female rights, Kaeravara said she was pleased with the
outcome of the meeting.
She said the purpose of her meeting was to draw lessons from initiatives Parkop
championed in mobilising youth and women in the city.
Police warning election troublemakers
POLICE are warning the
public that anyone found stirring trouble throughout the general election
campaign will be arrested and charged immediately.
Morobe commander Superintendent Jacob Singura said Wau, Bulolo, Tewae-Siassi
and Finschhafen had been identified as the hotspots in the province.
“These are districts with a history of fighting, killing and disturbances, so
an advance party will be deployed to conduct awareness,” he said.
“If we receive any information on illegal possession of firearms, we will act
immediately.
“The province has sorted out man-power for deployment and we are ready for
election operations.
“We have sorted out the manpower problems with having additional 70 soldiers
from PNG Defence Force and 20 from the Buimo Correction Services to look after
key Government installations.”
Meanwhile, Assistant Police Commissioner Northern Command Peter Guinness
appealed to the people to help ensure a free, fair and safe electoral process
for this year’s general election.
“Policemen, soldiers and prison wardens will be helping the Electoral
Commission to run the elections. They are not here to fight with you. So, work
with them to see the completion of a successful election,” Guinness said,
adding that Morobe police was given a K3 million funding from the provincial
government towards security operations for this year’s election.
Do you want to be jailed for life, Marape asks
PRIME Minister James
Marape has reminded Papua New Guineans that life imprisonment is now the maximum
penalty for illegal use and ownership of firearms.
“The Firearms Amendment Bill 2022 was tabled and passed in Parliament
recently,” Marape said.
“It was unanimously supported by MPs.”
Life imprisonment is now the maximum penalty for:
- MANUFACTURING of homemade guns;
- ILLEGAL ownership and
possession of firearms;
- ILLEGAL possession and use of
firearms;
- ILLEGAL possession of
prohibited firearms; and,
- OWNERSHIP and possession of
machine guns.
Lesser penalties are a
fine not exceeding K100,000 and a prison term not exceeding 50 years; and a
fine not exceeding K50,000 and a prison term not exceeding 20 years.
Marape said the country had had enough of illegal firearm issues, including in
2017 general election when there were several gun-related deaths.
“There will be zero tolerance this time,” he said.
“Elections are just around the corner and candidates should tell their
supporters and themselves not to have illegal guns in their possession.
“Supporters, youth leaders and others are reminded that you could be jailed for
life.
“Illegal possession of guns no longer carries a maximum term of 10 or 20 years
imprisonment, but life imprisonment. So I appeal to all citizens to be mindful
of this.
“Is it worth spending the rest of your life in prison for having a gun and
supporting your candidate?”
Marape said police would monitor hotspots where guns were likely to be used in
this year’s general election.
“I encourage those in illegal possession of firearms to throw them away now,
because if police will catch up with you, and you will spend the rest of your
lives in prison,” he said.
Police get K3 million
MOROBE government has provided K3 million funding to police for the general election security operations, says police commander Superintendent Jacob Singura. The funds would cater for logistical support as well as allowances for additional manpower by the Correctional Services, PNG Defence Force and police mobile squad.
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