Newly appointed Acting Managing Director of the Papua New Guinea Forest Authority (PNGFA) John Mosoro has brought to the attention of the police, certain forestry issues of concerns and solutions.
Mr Mosoro said the PNGFA and the Royal PNG Constabulary will work towards drafting a partnership agreement to address these issues.
Mr Mosoro has met with Acting Deputy Commissioner Operations Donald Yamasombi, and raised four concerns which included law and order at forestry project sites, harassment of forestry officers; training forestry officers to undertake policing roles; and PNGFA involvement in the Police Legacy System (PLS).
On law and order, Mr. Mosoro said, “There’s a big problem where landowners or people from outside are going into forestry project areas and sabotaging operations by harassing and kidnapping people for ransom.”
He said the law and order concerns are coming from the Western and Gulf provinces.
Mr Mosoro said last year, some expatriates and nationals at Makapa TRP (Timber Rights Purchase) forestry project in Western province were kidnapped and later released after a K300,000 ransom was paid.
“Because these forestry projects are sanctioned by the government, it is our duty to take care of them because we regulate them and issue them timber permits to operate. The industry has been writing letters to us, expecting us to take the lead so we must show leadership in this area of law and order by utilizing our police force,” Mr. Mosoro said.
Mr. Yamasombi commended PNGFA for taking the step to address the lawlessness in forestry projects.
“Investors came to my office and begged for police to attend to this. That’s how the police got involved. They are government sanctioned projects so we have to give that support. PNGFA as the government body that regulates the forestry sector, should take on board and address the issues, not the investors, which looks bad on us. I therefore appreciate PNGFA for forming this working relationship so we can make it conducive for investors,” Mr. Yamasombi said.
Mr. Mosoro went on to say they are concerned with policemen harassing forestry officers over royalty claims, especially at headquarters.
“Landowners bring their own policemen here and sometimes get our directors and managers locked up over claims of not paying royalties on time.
“I want such harassment of our officers who are protected under the Forestry Act, to stop. They come as criminals and intimidate our officers. We will do a formal letter on this to the police commissioner.
“My officers deal with substantial amounts of money which are paid out as royalties so when the resource owners divide themselves into factions, and go and get their own policemen, my officers try to protect people’s royalty money, and sometimes get arrested. We however are thankful that police have been assisting us with our royalty runs,” Mr. Mosoro added.
Mr. Yamasombi said, “Some people cook up stories that they have this and that and that certain people are blocking them from getting it, and involve the police. They go police shopping from one station to another to find any officer willing to assist them. Two offices you can deal with in such instances are Office of Assistant Commissioner Crimes for criminal matters, and Office of Director Fraud and Anti-Corruption for fraud matters.”
Mr. Mosoro also told of his plans to have forestry officers trained as police reservists through a Memorandum of Agreement or Understanding saying, “I want our field officers to be trained under some sort of arrangement by police as reservists under a formal understanding so there is transparency in what we are doing, and get the industry to support us to include our camp sites, regional and provinces offices, so they have the legal power to do certain work.”
Mr Yamasombi replied, “The police commissioner had at the beginning of this year stood down all reservists because many a times, we find police officers being accused of many things involving corruption while in uniform. The RPNGC is now entering into MOU arrangements through which, any reservist sworn in can only serve in and around a particular jurisdiction. If you are serving in NCD and get transferred elsewhere, it ceases. The arrangement lasts as long as the MOU allows because when people start moving, unlike regular police members, no one keeps track of who is who. They report at will. If you are wearing uniform elsewhere without anyone monitoring your attendance to duty and what you are doing, you are bound to do anything.”
Mr. Yamasombi elaborated that the RPNGC has MOUs with the resource sector but the police engagement with the oil and gas industry is now being reviewed. The RPNGC now has service agreements in the resource sector which now considers risks involved.
Regarding the PLS, Mr. Mosoro said, “In my previous employment, we had a very good working relationship with the police. Through PLS, we provided financial assistance to the families of police officers who lost their lives while on duty. When a police officer dies while on duty, we support their families, especially their school aged children.”
“I want us to start visibility here through PLS as part of our corporate social responsibility. We must give back to the community,” Mr. Mosoro said.
Regarding PLS, Mr. Yamasombi explained that it is sustained by K4 being deducted from the salary of each member of the police to the PLS. He said that the police force would greatly welcome PNGFA coming on board to support the PLS.