The Papua New Guinea Council of Churches (PNGCC) is proposing for a new Chaplaincy Directorate for the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.
Bomana Police College Chaplain, Chief Inspector Reverend Reuben Semi, made this comment during a meeting with the members of the PNGCC in a bid to address issues affecting the Chaplaincy Ministry of the RPNGC.
Reverend Semi said the RPNGC Chaplaincy Ministry is part of the Welfare Office under the Human Resource Division. The Head of Churches Committee (HCC) and Chaplain meetings have been dormant for seven years. Proper process and procedures to select new police chaplains for the Police Commissioner’s appointment were not followed.
He added that given the issue of funding and inadequate chaplains, the ministry is not able to address many problems currently affecting police personnel and their families.
Reverend Semi said the Royal PNG Constabulary has only five chaplains, four with the Divisional Commands and one for the Bomana Police Training College. Given the increase in the number of police personnel each year, there is the issue of imbalance in the ratio of police personnel to police chaplains to contain all the spiritual issues affecting the police personnel and their families.
“We want to have a new Chaplaincy Directorate that is well equipped with knowledge and skills, well-resourced and well supported by the Churches to address many issues affecting the members of the Constabulary and their families and most importantly, to assist restoring discipline in the Constabulary,” Rev. Semi said.
The PNGCC is looking at a submission to present to the Police Commissioner to address the proposed changes which will include increasing the number of police chaplains as well as resource allocation.
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