National Capital District

Repeal death penalty: Parkop

He raised this in parliament today, saying he visited the Bomana prison recently and found there are prisoners with a death sentence still in limbo because parliament has yet to decide on their fate.

Parkop argued that death penalty was not really punishing prisoners but giving them easy access to death.

“There are 11 prisoners in limbo, and all from other provinces, who are on death row and have been waiting for at least 10 years now, for parliament to decide their fate,” stated Parkop.

NCD Police refresher for members

Fourteen officers recently received certificates for undergoing the two-day course.

The refresher training for supervisors’ roles and responsibilities was the first but certainly not the last for this year.

Supported by Bel Isi PNG, the program started on Thursday, the 6th of June, and ended with the certification of police officers the next day.

NCD Metropolitan Superintendent, Perou N’Dranou, told the 14 senior constables and sergeants that the Royal PNG Constabulary depends on supervisors like them.

Schools affected by Parliament sitting

Most primary schools visited this morning either had no classes or had dismissed students before 10am.

Students from Ted Diro Primary School said they were sent home early but will have normal classes on Wednesday.

Police personnel were also seen on foot patrol around the city, conducting random checks.

The road to the Parliament from the National Court as well as from the International Convention Centre was blocked off.

Residents urged to be vigilant

Commander NCD/Central Assistant Commissioner Donald Yamasombi said the reports, including that of a young girl who reportedly freed herself after being abducted at Four-Mile, were not registered with police so cannot be confirmed.

“This particular case was not formally reported and registered with police but we are not taking this matter lightly and doing everything within our means to investigate and take appropriate police action,” ACP Yamasombi said.

Marked increase in NCD police arrests

NCD Metropolitan Superintendent, Perou N’Dranou, noted a 50 percent improvement since January this year.

“If there were 10 incidents reported in Boroko, we must have at least five or six arrests,” he stated.

N’Dranou said last week, NCD police made 78 arrests out of the 84 summary incidents that were reported. Summary offences are usually considered to be less serious offences, like road traffic offences, minor assaults or offensive behaviour. 

“That is beyond the pass mark of 50 percent,” he said.

Polio vaccination targets 170,000 in NCD

The vaccination sites includes schools, health centres, markets, bus-stops and other designated sites.

Since the confirmation of the first polio case on September 6th in a 6 year old boy residing at 5-mile settlement, a provincial polio emergency operations centre was activated and has been managing the day-to-day outbreak response.

So far 5097 children from the 5-mile settlement aged from 0 to 15 have received polio vaccination.

‘Lead the change’

We need to challenge ourselves to make PNG even better than it is today, says NCD Governor Powes Parkop.

Parkop led the Unity Walk this morning, where participants were reminded to lead the change.

Residents hit the road in high spirits in spite of the wet and dull Port Moresby morning.

Before the walk, Governor Parkop highlighted that we have to respect what has taken us this far.

K5m school fee subsidies from NCDC

Speaking at the cheque presentation on Thursday at the Caritas Girls Secondary School in Port Moresby, NCD Governor Powes Parkop said since its inception in 2008, NCD TVET and school-fee assistance program has relieved many disadvantaged guardians, parents and their children in tertiary institutions.

Parkop said more than K40 million has been invested in the program, benefitting over 35,000 students since.

He added that today, some 1001 students were the proud recipient of subsidy.

The program complements the National Government’s Tuition Fee Free policy.

Parkop hits back at Kramer

Kramer recently gave the National Capital District Governor 14 days to come clear with a thorough report on the expenditure of the unpopular K3 million per annum yoga contract.

Parkop said Kramer is becoming like a judge, jury and prosecutor making assertions without evidence.

The Governor told this newsroom that Kramer had been releasing statements without evidence and not caring to find the truth.

Parkop, when asked about the issue, said he doesn’t have to reply to such people.

Plans to make Boroko decent again

NCD Governor Powes Parkop highlighted this plan in a press conference yesterday. 

He said the process starts with introducing a clear traffic in the area.

This includes introducing one-way streets which would ease traffic congestion and allow for more pedestrians to walk the streets.

Reke, Turamu and Nita streets will become one-way streets, going from the west to the east.

Angau Drive will be opened again and made into a two-way street. Parkop says this will be the only two-way street in the area.