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RNZ News
6 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Pacific news in brief for 3 June
A police landcruiser patrols the streets of the Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby. Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Koroi Hawkins Twenty people on a bus in Port Moresby were rescued by police officers after their bus was attacked at a roadblock. The PNG National reported the passengers were chased off the bus and the attackers stole valuable items. One passenger said someone stoned the bus and the driver lost control, and then others who were hiding in the bushes came out and robbed them. Acting assistant police commissioner, National Capital District and Central, Benjamin Turi said police had already issued warnings for people to take precautions when traveling up and down the highway. The Governor of the Northern Marianas has laid out his administration's economic recovery plans, urging for unity as the CNMI navigates a challenging but improving fiscal landscape. Governor Arnold Palacios also highlighted key accomplishments during his first State of the Commonwealth Address. He said while the CNMI continues to face challenges, its also seeing signs of growth and resilience. Governor Palacios noted that the new 300 business registrations are signs of recovery and confidence. In the past 12 months, a number of big businesses have closed shop or left the CNMI, and a number of Asian airlines have stopped flying there. Access to reliable electricity across the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is now on the cards. The FSM has some of the lowest electricity access rates in the Pacific, particularly in Chuuk State, where two-thirds of households lack power. A new project to be implemented by the government, with financing and technical support from the World Bank, will mean thousands of families will benefit from better, more reliable electricity. The US$42 million project will increase access to electricity for over 3,500 people in remote outer islands, while improving the reliability of existing power supply and supporting the increase in renewable energy across FSM's four states: Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap. Fifty new projects have been announced under the Solomon Islands - Australia Community Partnerships. The Australian High Commission said the projects represent more than 11 million Solomon Islander dollars (US$1.9 million) in direct funding to businesses and communities. The projects include the installation of solar powered streetlights, the construction of new classrooms, upgrades to rural health clinics, and the provision of community water tanks. The Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Rod Hilton said the initiatives will deliver practical benefits to communities, while also supporting local businesses and jobs. Fiji Airways managing director and chief executive officer, Andre Viljoen, is stepping down in October this year. Fiji Airways chairperson, Nalin Patel said Viljoen has accepted the position of CEO at Air Mauritius and will be returning home after a decade of exceptional leadership in Fiji. Patel said under his stewardship, Fiji Airways' annual revenue has grown significantly, from FJ$815.3 million in 2015 to $1.9 billion in 2024. He said Viljoen will remain on the board of directors after his transition. Samoa has marked its 63rd independence day celebrating achieving sovereignty in 1962. Festivities commenced on Sunday with a thanksgiving service at the Catholic cathedral in Mulivai. On Monday, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa raised the national flag outside the government building in Apia. Additional celebrations are taking place throughout the week.
Scoop
14-05-2025
- Scoop
Can PNG Police Win Back The Public's Respect?
Article – RNZ A police commander in Papua New Guinea's National Capital District says the fact that the public no longer respects police is a sad day for the country., RNZ Pacific Senior Journalist A police commander in Papua New Guinea's National Capital District is concerned that the public no longer respects the police. Assistant Commissioner Benjamin Turi points to nine cases of resisting and assaulting police officers that appeared before the Boroko District Court this past week alone. The Post-Courier reported him saying that when he joined the police force, such disrespect was unheard of: 'Respect was given and it showed in the way the public responded when a police officer issued a command.' He said now that the person in a blue uniform is not safe is a sad day for the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary and for the country. In PNG, assaulting a police officer is a serious offence under the Summary Offences Act 1977 and carries a hefty fine. Our correspondent in PNG Scott Waide has been looking at police deaths dating back to 2017. (This transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.) SCOTT WAIDE: I compiled a few figures about three months ago, just trying to understand how bad it was, and I counted at least 24 police officers who had been killed in the line of duty, and these are people who have either been shot, stabbed or just killed in various different ways, plane crashes and all that, but just attacks on police officers. A lot of those attacks have been in the Highlands. There are others as well, in Alotau, West New Britain, East New Britain, attacked in the line of duty whilst performing an arrest or just driving through locations that are dangerous. So yes, it is a big problem. Families of police officers have come out and stated, off the record of course, that their husbands, their wives, are not adequately protected while they're out in the field. A lot of police officers, policemen that I've spoken to, have expressed that a lot of times, when they go into trouble spots, they are ill equipped, like they don't have the body armour or the helmets that are needed. So there is a big problem. DON WISEMAN: I guess one of the big problems as well, the numbers [of police] not big enough are they? SW: One of the big concerns is that the officers who are being deployed are just overworked, and they're stressed. For example, Governor Alan Bird was talking about a mobile squad unit from Wewak that has been on permanent deployment in the Highlands for months and months. That means they're away from their families for several months, you know, upwards of half a year, and there's really no rest and recreation for them to regenerate and go back on duty. The numbers are too small to deal with a country like Papua New Guinea. DW: Now an assistant commissioner in the National Capital District, has pointed out that in the past week there have been nine cases of resisting and assaulting police just in the Boroko District Court alone. Benjamin Turi is saying in the past, well, when he began as a policeman, such incidents were very, very rare, and he wonders why people seem to have lost their respect for police. SW: There are several contributing factors, and one of them has been police attitudes towards the public, and police brutality towards the public. That has also been a contributing factor, and the general loss of trust over time, that's also another major contributing factor. The public has in many places, lost respect for police. There are also good commanders out there who have tried to restore order, restore the respect for police. The situation in Lae, especially where I live, is vastly different from other places, where you have a lot of respect for police, and it took a long time to get there. Took at least a decade to get there. DW: What happened in Lae to get there? SW: Well, firstly, there was a reorganisation of the Police Public Relations, going out and talking to communities, getting community involvement. There's a law and order committee set up for Lae and there's an active Whatsapp group that they use where police officers are available, and the numbers of policemen who have committed offences and [whose actions] have been reported have been acted on by their commanders. It's restored that trust in in the public. So that needs to happen, in my opinion, that needs to happen in every other town and city as well. But it's a slow, slow process. I mean, if Lae took 10 years, then it will take just about the same time in other places as well. DW: Well, a critical issue, of course, for Papua New Guinea is election time, and it's been a pretty bad time for police. Hasn't it going back over the last several elections. So the new election coming up in two years time, one would be hoping that things are going to be a lot better. Are there any signs that the government is putting greater resources toward police to improve things. SW: There are efforts being put in by the government. There's new vehicles being bought, additional manpower being trained, the middle management of the police being up skilled and new people recruited. But the numbers are just too small to deal with the population. Like Papua New Guinea talking about the elections, there's a large number of guns in the Highlands. And generally, if you talk to members of the disciplinary forces – the PNG Defence Force, the police – they will tell you that when they go into the villages, they're largely outnumbered and outgunned by tribesmen who are very heavily armed during elections.
Scoop
14-05-2025
- Scoop
Can PNG Police Win Back The Public's Respect?
A police commander in Papua New Guinea's National Capital District says the fact that the public no longer respects police is a sad day for the country., RNZ Pacific Senior Journalist A police commander in Papua New Guinea's National Capital District is concerned that the public no longer respects the police. Assistant Commissioner Benjamin Turi points to nine cases of resisting and assaulting police officers that appeared before the Boroko District Court this past week alone. The Post-Courier reported him saying that when he joined the police force, such disrespect was unheard of: 'Respect was given and it showed in the way the public responded when a police officer issued a command.' He said now that the person in a blue uniform is not safe is a sad day for the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary and for the country. In PNG, assaulting a police officer is a serious offence under the Summary Offences Act 1977 and carries a hefty fine. Our correspondent in PNG Scott Waide has been looking at police deaths dating back to 2017. (This transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.) SCOTT WAIDE: I compiled a few figures about three months ago, just trying to understand how bad it was, and I counted at least 24 police officers who had been killed in the line of duty, and these are people who have either been shot, stabbed or just killed in various different ways, plane crashes and all that, but just attacks on police officers. A lot of those attacks have been in the Highlands. There are others as well, in Alotau, West New Britain, East New Britain, attacked in the line of duty whilst performing an arrest or just driving through locations that are dangerous. So yes, it is a big problem. Families of police officers have come out and stated, off the record of course, that their husbands, their wives, are not adequately protected while they're out in the field. A lot of police officers, policemen that I've spoken to, have expressed that a lot of times, when they go into trouble spots, they are ill equipped, like they don't have the body armour or the helmets that are needed. So there is a big problem. DON WISEMAN: I guess one of the big problems as well, the numbers [of police] not big enough are they? SW: One of the big concerns is that the officers who are being deployed are just overworked, and they're stressed. For example, Governor Alan Bird was talking about a mobile squad unit from Wewak that has been on permanent deployment in the Highlands for months and months. That means they're away from their families for several months, you know, upwards of half a year, and there's really no rest and recreation for them to regenerate and go back on duty. The numbers are too small to deal with a country like Papua New Guinea. DW: Now an assistant commissioner in the National Capital District, has pointed out that in the past week there have been nine cases of resisting and assaulting police just in the Boroko District Court alone. Benjamin Turi is saying in the past, well, when he began as a policeman, such incidents were very, very rare, and he wonders why people seem to have lost their respect for police. SW: There are several contributing factors, and one of them has been police attitudes towards the public, and police brutality towards the public. That has also been a contributing factor, and the general loss of trust over time, that's also another major contributing factor. The public has in many places, lost respect for police. There are also good commanders out there who have tried to restore order, restore the respect for police. The situation in Lae, especially where I live, is vastly different from other places, where you have a lot of respect for police, and it took a long time to get there. Took at least a decade to get there. DW: What happened in Lae to get there? SW: Well, firstly, there was a reorganisation of the Police Public Relations, going out and talking to communities, getting community involvement. There's a law and order committee set up for Lae and there's an active Whatsapp group that they use where police officers are available, and the numbers of policemen who have committed offences and [whose actions] have been reported have been acted on by their commanders. It's restored that trust in in the public. So that needs to happen, in my opinion, that needs to happen in every other town and city as well. But it's a slow, slow process. I mean, if Lae took 10 years, then it will take just about the same time in other places as well. DW: Well, a critical issue, of course, for Papua New Guinea is election time, and it's been a pretty bad time for police. Hasn't it going back over the last several elections. So the new election coming up in two years time, one would be hoping that things are going to be a lot better. Are there any signs that the government is putting greater resources toward police to improve things. SW: There are efforts being put in by the government. There's new vehicles being bought, additional manpower being trained, the middle management of the police being up skilled and new people recruited. But the numbers are just too small to deal with the population. Like Papua New Guinea talking about the elections, there's a large number of guns in the Highlands. And generally, if you talk to members of the disciplinary forces – the PNG Defence Force, the police – they will tell you that when they go into the villages, they're largely outnumbered and outgunned by tribesmen who are very heavily armed during elections.
Scoop
14-05-2025
- Scoop
Can PNG Police Win Back The Public's Respect?
, RNZ Pacific Senior Journalist A police commander in Papua New Guinea's National Capital District is concerned that the public no longer respects the police. Assistant Commissioner Benjamin Turi points to nine cases of resisting and assaulting police officers that appeared before the Boroko District Court this past week alone. The Post-Courier reported him saying that when he joined the police force, such disrespect was unheard of: "Respect was given and it showed in the way the public responded when a police officer issued a command." He said now that the person in a blue uniform is not safe is a sad day for the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary and for the country. In PNG, assaulting a police officer is a serious offence under the Summary Offences Act 1977 and carries a hefty fine. Our correspondent in PNG Scott Waide has been looking at police deaths dating back to 2017. (This transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.) SCOTT WAIDE: I compiled a few figures about three months ago, just trying to understand how bad it was, and I counted at least 24 police officers who had been killed in the line of duty, and these are people who have either been shot, stabbed or just killed in various different ways, plane crashes and all that, but just attacks on police officers. A lot of those attacks have been in the Highlands. There are others as well, in Alotau, West New Britain, East New Britain, attacked in the line of duty whilst performing an arrest or just driving through locations that are dangerous. So yes, it is a big problem. Families of police officers have come out and stated, off the record of course, that their husbands, their wives, are not adequately protected while they're out in the field. A lot of police officers, policemen that I've spoken to, have expressed that a lot of times, when they go into trouble spots, they are ill equipped, like they don't have the body armour or the helmets that are needed. So there is a big problem. DON WISEMAN: I guess one of the big problems as well, the numbers [of police] not big enough are they? SW: One of the big concerns is that the officers who are being deployed are just overworked, and they're stressed. For example, Governor Alan Bird was talking about a mobile squad unit from Wewak that has been on permanent deployment in the Highlands for months and months. That means they're away from their families for several months, you know, upwards of half a year, and there's really no rest and recreation for them to regenerate and go back on duty. The numbers are too small to deal with a country like Papua New Guinea. DW: Now an assistant commissioner in the National Capital District, has pointed out that in the past week there have been nine cases of resisting and assaulting police just in the Boroko District Court alone. Benjamin Turi is saying in the past, well, when he began as a policeman, such incidents were very, very rare, and he wonders why people seem to have lost their respect for police. SW: There are several contributing factors, and one of them has been police attitudes towards the public, and police brutality towards the public. That has also been a contributing factor, and the general loss of trust over time, that's also another major contributing factor. The public has in many places, lost respect for police. There are also good commanders out there who have tried to restore order, restore the respect for police. The situation in Lae, especially where I live, is vastly different from other places, where you have a lot of respect for police, and it took a long time to get there. Took at least a decade to get there. DW: What happened in Lae to get there? SW: Well, firstly, there was a reorganisation of the Police Public Relations, going out and talking to communities, getting community involvement. There's a law and order committee set up for Lae and there's an active Whatsapp group that they use where police officers are available, and the numbers of policemen who have committed offences and [whose actions] have been reported have been acted on by their commanders. It's restored that trust in in the public. So that needs to happen, in my opinion, that needs to happen in every other town and city as well. But it's a slow, slow process. I mean, if Lae took 10 years, then it will take just about the same time in other places as well. DW: Well, a critical issue, of course, for Papua New Guinea is election time, and it's been a pretty bad time for police. Hasn't it going back over the last several elections. So the new election coming up in two years time, one would be hoping that things are going to be a lot better. Are there any signs that the government is putting greater resources toward police to improve things. SW: There are efforts being put in by the government. There's new vehicles being bought, additional manpower being trained, the middle management of the police being up skilled and new people recruited. But the numbers are just too small to deal with the population. Like Papua New Guinea talking about the elections, there's a large number of guns in the Highlands. And generally, if you talk to members of the disciplinary forces - the PNG Defence Force, the police - they will tell you that when they go into the villages, they're largely outnumbered and outgunned by tribesmen who are very heavily armed during elections.
RNZ News
13-05-2025
- RNZ News
Can PNG police win back the public's respect?
In PNG, assaulting a police officer is a serious offence under the Summary Offences Act 1977 and carries a hefty fine. Photo: Twitter: @Mangiwantok A police commander in Papua New Guinea's National Capital District is concerned that the public no longer respects the police. Assistant Commissioner Benjamin Turi points to nine cases of resisting and assaulting police officers that appeared before the Boroko District Court this past week alone. The Post-Courier reported him saying that when he joined the police force, such disrespect was unheard of: "Respect was given and it showed in the way the public responded when a police officer issued a command." He said now that the person in a blue uniform is not safe is a sad day for the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary and for the country. In PNG, assaulting a police officer is a serious offence under the Summary Offences Act 1977 and carries a hefty fine. Our correspondent in PNG Scott Waide has been looking at police deaths dating back to 2017. (This transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.) SCOTT WAIDE: I compiled a few figures about three months ago, just trying to understand how bad it was, and I counted at least 24 police officers who had been killed in the line of duty, and these are people who have either been shot, stabbed or just killed in various different ways, plane crashes and all that, but just attacks on police officers. A lot of those attacks have been in the Highlands. There are others as well, in Alotau, West New Britain, East New Britain, attacked in the line of duty whilst performing an arrest or just driving through locations that are dangerous. So yes, it is a big problem. Families of police officers have come out and stated, off the record of course, that their husbands, their wives, are not adequately protected while they're out in the field. A lot of police officers, policemen that I've spoken to, have expressed that a lot of times, when they go into trouble spots, they are ill equipped, like they don't have the body armour or the helmets that are needed. So there is a big problem. DON WISEMAN: I guess one of the big problems as well, the numbers [of police] not big enough are they? SW: One of the big concerns is that the officers who are being deployed are just overworked, and they're stressed. For example, Governor Alan Bird was talking about a mobile squad unit from Wewak that has been on permanent deployment in the Highlands for months and months. That means they're away from their families for several months, you know, upwards of half a year, and there's really no rest and recreation for them to regenerate and go back on duty. The numbers are too small to deal with a country like Papua New Guinea. DW: Now an assistant commissioner in the National Capital District, has pointed out that in the past week there have been nine cases of resisting and assaulting police just in the Boroko District Court alone. Benjamin Turi is saying in the past, well, when he began as a policeman, such incidents were very, very rare, and he wonders why people seem to have lost their respect for police. SW: There are several contributing factors, and one of them has been police attitudes towards the public, and police brutality towards the public. That has also been a contributing factor, and the general loss of trust over time, that's also another major contributing factor. The public has in many places, lost respect for police. There are also good commanders out there who have tried to restore order, restore the respect for police. The situation in Lae, especially where I live, is vastly different from other places, where you have a lot of respect for police, and it took a long time to get there. Took at least a decade to get there. DW: What happened in Lae to get there? SW: Well, firstly, there was a reorganisation of the Police Public Relations, going out and talking to communities, getting community involvement. There's a law and order committee set up for Lae and there's an active Whatsapp group that they use where police officers are available, and the numbers of policemen who have committed offences and [whose actions] have been reported have been acted on by their commanders. It's restored that trust in in the public. So that needs to happen, in my opinion, that needs to happen in every other town and city as well. But it's a slow, slow process. I mean, if Lae took 10 years, then it will take just about the same time in other places as well. DW: Well, a critical issue, of course, for Papua New Guinea is election time, and it's been a pretty bad time for police. Hasn't it going back over the last several elections. So the new election coming up in two years time, one would be hoping that things are going to be a lot better. Are there any signs that the government is putting greater resources toward police to improve things. SW: There are efforts being put in by the government. There's new vehicles being bought, additional manpower being trained, the middle management of the police being up skilled and new people recruited. But the numbers are just too small to deal with the population. Like Papua New Guinea talking about the elections, there's a large number of guns in the Highlands. And generally, if you talk to members of the disciplinary forces - the PNG Defence Force, the police - they will tell you that when they go into the villages, they're largely outnumbered and outgunned by tribesmen who are very heavily armed during elections.
