The National Capital District Commission has tightened its security and safety measures to ensure the State of Emergency is being observed in the city with a high standard of normalcy.
Over the last nine days, the NCDC Urban Safety (US) Division’s Reserve Police personnel have partnered with the NCD Metropolitan Command under the leadership of Metropolitan Superintendent Perou N'Dranou.
Director Paul Komboi said: “The streets of Port Moresby have been our major focus during the SOE in ensuring its cleanliness, health, hygiene and safety is of paramount importance.
“Gordon’s Police Station and Dog Unit have been a great help to us over this period. Their support to helping us rid the streets of loiterers, illegal roadside markets, illegal liquor shops and public gatherings has been second to none,” said Komboi.
He said the Commission was very grateful to N’Dranou and his regular police for this partnership.
“They must be thanked for their support. Because the SoE has called for all city residents to stay at home, to congregate less and to keep social distancing a priority to prevent the coronavirus disease from spreading, we have been able to manage this over the past nine days.
He added that apart from carrying out the SoE operations, the work done by these men was immense.
“Whilst carrying our duty, we have detected many things from homeless people to traffic infringements and accidents, drug and alcohol related abuse, roadside gambling, prostitution and many other illegal activities. We have been policing all these issues as we are carrying out the SoE requirements set out to us by the SOE Controller and Police Commissioner David Manning,” said Komboi.
He said the prevention of betelnut vending and transportation has been a major issue, adding: “The reserve police with the support of the regular police have contained this well so far, curbing the movement of the nut by road from the Hiritano and Magi Highways, whilst the water police are now concentrating on the sea transportation aspect of it.
“Our job involves the multi-tasking of activities that we plan and execute with the main objective of providing a safe, healthy city and protecting and serving the interest of the public,” said Komboi.
He said their operation will continue.
(The Boroko area that normally teems with people and street vendors now represents a ghost town)