New 'recruits barracks' for RPNGC

The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) recently received a new, state-of-the-art, recruits barracks.

The construction of the barracks follows a needs analysis undertaken by Papua New Guinea-Australia Policing Partnership (PNG-APP) in 2014.

The study identified a chronic shortage of accommodation, particularly for single officers in the National Capital District and Lae.

The new accommodation provides upgraded living quarters, kitchens, laundry facilities and has a total capacity of 280 beds. The first and the second building have two single beds in each room whilst buildings three and four have one single bed in each room.

Each building has 35 bedrooms that are fully-equipped with a locker, a desk and a chair.

The buildings have been repainted with two new roof sheets and gutter fitted. Red Sea Housing Services has built a double-storey balcony on each building, fitted with smoke detectors which come electrically wired with new power points fitted to standard.

RPNGC Police Commissioner Gari Baki, on behalf of the RPNGC, acknowledges the efforts of the policing partnership program.

Baki says the initial idea for the barracks was to accommodate recruits that passed out from the police college before they are posted out to the provinces, but at this point in time, the barracks will be used to accommodate the police women that will be brought in to support the FIFA World Cup.

“This is going to help RPNGC with accommodation costs and the preparations for APEC in 2018,” says Baki.

This is the second last major infrastructure program that is being produced, and the final, being the Detective Training School in Bomana Police College that is nearing completion.

The barracks, donated by the ExxonMobil PNG LNG project, was deconstructed at the ExxonMobil site and carried out by Red Sea Housing Service, funded by the PNG-APP.

AFP Missioning Commander Bruce Giles says it has been a lengthy road for all those involved in this project. He hopes that in some small way, the program that has been rolled out as part of the policing partnership will help significantly in finding some accommodation for the police members.

The total infrastructure investment for the barracks is valued in excess of K4 million.

Since 2013, the Australian Government and the AFP, under the Papua New Guinea – Australia Policing Partnership, has expended more than K37 million on policing equipment and infrastructure projects.

Author: 
Annette Kora