New Ireland Police

In New Ireland, Provincial Police Commander, Superintendent Albert Beli, said houses in their seven barracks were built in colonial times, and are in great need of renovation. 

“Housing is a major problem,” said PPC Beli.

“As far as I know, no new one is being built in New Ireland yet.
“It’s just maintenance of the old ones but we need to increase the capacity of manpower, which means they will only come here if there is accommodation.”

Currently, Kavieng and Namatanai have two police barracks each, while Lakurumau, Konos and Taskul have one each.

The awareness is being conducted to help reduce the number of criminal activities and petty crime and help increase police relationship with the local communities, church groups and schools, according to PPC Beli.

“Our core actions for this year is awareness and community advocacy that we try to advocate people on the good and also (what) they shouldn’t be doing and how to conduct themselves in their communities,” said the PPC.

Over 100 intoxicated young men, who were being nuisances in public areas, were rounded up and detained at the Kavieng Police Station cell from the evening of December 31^st, 2023, to January 01^st, 2024.

“Most of my areas in New Ireland Province, including Kavieng, Konos, Lakurumau, Namatanai, Lihir and New Hanover were all reported as quiet. It’s unusual but impressive. People celebrated but it was contained within their premises,” said provincial police commander, Superintendent Albert Beli.

Provincial police commander, Superintendent Albert Beli, made this remark after police arrested a Mussau Island man for tricking a couple into giving him K20,000 for a piece of block.

The 35-year-old Mussau man was apprehended by Konos police on Tuesday, December 26^th, 2023.

Supt Beli said people should reason things out; and establish facts before attempting to purchase a commodity as rare as land.

“No individual owns traditional land in Papua New Guinea; a clan does,” he stated.

The deceased, identified as 35-year-old Benjamin Bokas, was reportedly sleeping towards the centre of the highway, near Kanam, when a cargo truck heading towards Kavieng sighted him.

The truck and its passengers stopped and reversed back to assist him off the road when another vehicle, heading towards Namatanai, ran over him.

The passengers of the truck and other villagers picked him up and took him to Namatanai hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

He was then taken to the Kavieng General Hospital morgue.

A total of K17,318 worth of properties were stolen from the storage workshop including; plumping and electrical materials, iron rods, vacuum pump and a desktop and laptop computer.

The stolen properties belong to China Railway company which is currently engaged by the Provincial Government to build the Kavieng Government Lodge and recently opened Kavieng Stadium. 

Chairman for Law and Order, Edwin Maigen said this is a big letdown and has warned that police will make arrests and put those responsible behind bars. 

A handover-takeover ceremony was held yesterday, with Nebanat outlining that May of this year would have marked his two years in the province since taking up the PPC post.

“It has been a year and nine months since taking office and I must say that it was an honour for me to have served the people of New Ireland,” he stated.

“As a matter of fact, it has always been my desire to come back and serve in the province since joining the force.

This followed the damage of properties and unlawful wounding when National Alliance party supporters attacked supporters of Namatanai Open’s third runner-up on Tuesday, July 26^th, at Pire Village after the peaceful declaration of the Namatanai Open seat.

The suspects were arrested for offences ranging from intimidation, fighting, causing grievous bodily harm (GBH), stealing, violence, arson and wilful damage of properties, including the damage of four boats.

The Royal Australian Air Force’s C-130J Hercules dispatched 52 ballot boxes, three electoral roll boxes with other accessories for the National General Election 2022.

New Ireland Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Chief Inspector Felix Nebanat, confirmed that security details for the materials begun with an escort from the Kavieng Airport, and will continue at the station now that the materials are stored at the Kavieng Police Station.

“We have already organised our men into teams with personnel who will be manning the location,” PPC Nebanat stated.

New Ireland Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Chief Inspector Felix Nebanat, re-emphasised that due to lack of support, police have limited manpower and resources.

He said police who were in Taskul during the time of the incident, including the police station commander, were unarmed and could only watch as the two youths were killed in public.

“That Sunday, after getting the report, I sent a patrol of CID and Mobile Squad officers,” he said.