PNG Enga Governor calls on government to bring back AFP

Papua New Guinea Enga Governor, Peter Ipatas has called on the government to immediately revisit the 2004 Enhanced Cooperation Program between the PNG and the Australian Governments, in a bid to curb the escalating law and order issues in the country.

Speaking to the media in Port Moresby, Governor Ipatas described the Royal PNG Constabulary as a 'liability' and that external help is needed immediately.

"We already have an understanding.

"The Australian government was already willing to fund it.

"So I am saying with the difficult economic conditions I don't think we have the resource to bring in 200 to 300 policemen and women.

"My suggest is that all this 200-300 policemen and women are deployed right throughout the country.

Not in Moresby only, not in Lae only, so that the bad type of attitudes that is creeping up in society, and for young people, we need to manage them.

"A policeman who is well trained, will be engaged properly with offenders, will be able to get the society to understand rights and wrongs.

"So I see that from my experience, I see that we are at the crossroads."

NBC News - Lyanne Togiba