The O’Neill – Dion Government will introduce a legislation to tighten the law on illegal firearms in the country.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said, his government is committed to ridding unlicensed and illegal firearms in PNG, and the Hela Operation is a starting point.
“After 28 March, we will introduce legislations on summary offences – if you are caught in the possession of an illegal firearm the recommendation to the law is that you get 10 years imprisonment with hard labour, and fined K10,000 as well,” O’Neill said.
The Prime Minister also commended the people of Hela for taking on-board the initiative in the amnesty period to surrender illegal firearms.
“It’s good that a huge number of firearms have been surrendered and we congratulate law abiding citizens of Hela who made it possible for the people who are holding onto these illegal firearms to surrender to our authority,” O’Neill said.
He added that the guns surrender amnesty will be extended throughout the country depending on the success of the operation in Hela Province.