NCD Governor Powes Parkop has pledged to eliminate violence and create a safer city for women and girls.
This is part of Governor Parkop’s six-point strategic action plan for NCD, which includes upgrading of settlements to suburbs, modernisation of Motu Koita villages, the improvement of health and education, a clean and healthy city and the improvements of suburbs to include affordable housing and access to basic amenities such as water and electricity.
“We will not tolerate practices that will undermine decency and respect such as violence to our women and girls. In the long run, all our safe houses should be out of business because there are no more need for them when the city is safer for women and girls,” said Governor Parkop at a recent gala in Port Moresby on February 17th.
“During my tenure, we have managed to reduce street violence and civil unrest in the city by nearly 60 percent. It remains as one of my major priorities to completely eradicate crime and violence in the City,” he continued.
Parkop said he will put a stop to bad behaviour that seeks to destroy the capital city’s reputation such as spitting buai and harassments in public places and the culture of graffiti.
At the event, he handed a cheque of K200,000 to the chair lady of FSVAC Secretariat and NCD Gender Desk, on behalf of five NCD safe houses comprising of Haus Ruth, Lifeline, Kaugere Meri Seif, House of Hope and Bel isi Femili PNG.
The cheque will be given to a central management system through the Bel isi PNG Oil Search Foundation.
The inaugural Governor’s Gala Ball was attended by more than 1,000 people representing government, diplomats, academia, private sector, the churches and civil society.
(Parkop speaking at the Governor’s Gala Ball at the Stanley Hotel)