A good number of police personnel will take to the streets on New Year’s Eve in Mt. Hagen to conduct foot patrols as they plan to ensure that the New Year is being welcomed in a more sensible way. That's from Western Highlands Provincial Police Commander (PPC) John Sagom said there will be motorized patrols as well but they will be focusing on the Hot Spot within the City to make sure that opportunists do not take advantage of the celebrations to cause problems. He added that since they reintroduced the foot patrols back into the city, police have been well received by the general public. “All in all the response by the general public as to the conduct of the police, they are all very happy with the police presence and how we have been reacting to every incident within the city.” PPC Sagom further said it is his belief that the police in the province, with the support of the PNG Defence Force have proven to the city residents that they are there in the province to ensure peace and order. “We want to ensure that as city residents go out and about to do final preparations for New Year celebrations, we will make sure that none of our people get attacked or injured in any way.” Meanwhile, they are waiting on an official report to determine facts behind a vehicle that burnt down at a major road in the city. Superintendent Sagom, who was there at the scene, described the situation to be almost fatal with the driver making it out of the vehicle moments before being engulfed in flames. “The traffic had come to a stand-still because the Fire Servicemen had to put out the fire before it spread or anyone else would get injured.” Sagom stated that traffic was held up for quite some time as the Fire Service worked to put out the fire and then remove the vehicle from the road. The vehicle was transporting goods from an undisclosed location when the materials on board burst into flames.

“A feeling of happiness and a blessing.” Words used by group members of the family turned boyband Jnr Viginutz group as they described what it’s like to see their music reach different heights this year. Jnr Viginutz is comprised of 3 members, Emmanuel, Adrian and Amini the producer, whose idea of incorporating indigenous PNG sounds into their music resonates with most of their influences. The Keapara boys say they are taken aback by the positive response and the fan-base that has grown over the year. They further said they have set their sights on 2023, promising that they are holding back on a few singles, while at the same time looking to expand their brand, with the end aim of hopefully putting together an album. So far, they have released two singles leading up to Christmas. The group also aspires to build their franchise and turn it into a profitable business. "At the moment the main focus is to finish off the year with the final tours."

Police in the Enga province have reported no major incidents so far since the operations order was launched last week in the province. Enga Police Boss, Superintendent George Kakas said this is in conjunction with the 100 Day Restoration Period, which has been ongoing for the past two months and will be concluded in January 2023. “We launched the Christmas and New Year operations last week, that’s a mini ops order for this period and is in conjunction with the ongoing 100 Day restoration operation the is still continuing.” The Provincial Police Commander (PPC) also said that a supplementary operation order was released last week, in which all Police Station Commanders in each district have to come up with their own operation plans which they are now implemented. Police are now out in full force, making sure safety remains paramount in the province. So far, there have been little occurrences in the province. Meanwhile, even though fighting in the Porgera-Paialla District has died down, the PPC is still keeping an ear and an eye out for anything that may surface in the near future. This is because tensions are still high and many are skeptical as to how long peace will remain in the area. At the moment, it is quiet but people are still cautious. “It’s still sensitive, people are going around, saying things here and there and all that like, this tribe may attack or that tribe may attack. All these things are going on but we still have peace. ” PPC George Kakas has stated that for the past few months, he has been travelling extensively throughout the province conducting awareness and peace summits, to which Porgera-Paialla is no exception. Speaking with tribal heads and the member for the district, who also was present in the province to conduct a peace ceremony with the 8 tribes inhabiting the town area, they called for peace to prevail and for the people to lay down their arms.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC) for Southern Highlands, Chief Superintendent Joseph Puri has advised that for this Christmas period, the province has been quiet. CSP Puri said he was immensely overwhelmed by the positive attitude portrayed by the people and commend them for their actions. “I am so happy that the people remained peaceful during this festive period. I know that over the past months, the province was tough. There has been death, there has been destruction, displacement of families and my operation was specifically to make sure that there was peace during the Christmas period.” He added that over the weekend up till today, from the information coming in, there has been no major incidents. He commented that he was at peace due to the fact that one part of operation has been completed. Puri says that even though SHP is known as a volatile province, it’s all thanks to the hard work that the men in blue have put into ensuring that peace and the festivities continue without any disruptions. Overall, Puri believes "Operation A Silent Night in SHP," was been a success. “Silent night is all about restoring peace and my appeal is for all the leaders, political leaders, public servants, teachers who have left southern highlands because of the turmoil during the elections, to come back and start negotiating for peace and to restore SHP while looking forward to 2023.” Throughout the last two weeks, the PPC has been on the move in the province, moving from one district to another, making it known that the police are present while at the same time conducting awareness on the true meaning of Christmas and the penalties for breaking the law. CSP Puri has commended the support of the Non-Government Organizations, members of the churches and senior members of the community for their contribution to making sure SHP remained safe and festivities encountered no disruptions. He thanked the Peace Committee that was formed after election related fighting displaced many people in the province for their relentless effort in advocating for peace and normalcy. He has also called upon the parliamentary leaders to make an effort to return to the province and address many outstanding issues still yet to be addressed.

Police in Lae city dealt with a high number of alcohol related cases and traffic offences during the Christmas period alone. Lae Metropolitan Superintendent, Chris Kunyanban advised that although generally peaceful, police recorded 62 alcohol related incidents and 72 traffic offences. Kunyanban added that everything in the city has gone back to normal, but as Lae police prepare for New Year’s Eve they will be expecting more such cases. “That is what happened over Christmas. But as we are going towards New Year we don’t know what’s going to happen but we will just conduct awareness to the community on how they should celebrate in a peaceful manner.” The Met. Supt also reported that there were two isolated incidents that saw a police officer injured after a brawl was broken up by police at 5mile. Following the spike in alcohol related cases, Lae police will be ramping up their awareness program to ensure that the inhabitants of the city understand the consequences of their actions this past Christmas. Kunyanban added that although the alcohol ban has been enforced during this festive period, it was astounding the number of cases they have had to deal with in a short period of time; therefore, police will be on the lookout for illegal alcohol distributors. Kunyanban is now calling on the people of Lae and those travelling into the city to celebrate the New Year responsibly and avoid any further trouble.

Hela in recent times has been labelled a melting pot of unrest, but thanks to an early Christmas present in the form of new Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Chief Superintendent Joseph Tondop, this Christmas has seen little to no major incidents being reported in the province. Tondop said since their operations were launched on Thursday last week, Hela province for the first time in a long time has been quiet and he attributed this to the ongoing awareness being conducted by police in Hela. “As far as the Christmas operations are concerned, we have not received any reports of any major incidents but we are still on alert and keeping an ear out for anything.” Tondop also said that Hela Police will be focusing heavily on monitoring the main supply routes into the province during their festive operations. The PPC said that during this period, they will be on the lookout for any suspicious persons looking to take advantage of the festivities by attacking and robbing transportation vehicles of goods in and out of the province. “Sometimes opportunists try to attack these supply routes, so one of our main concerns is to make sure they are safe for goods and services to reach the people. We will be keeping an eye out for armed men and to ensure that the roads remain safe for those commuting as well.” He also thanked all the hardworking security personnel that are currently engaged in the ops, including those of the PNG Defence Force for their continuous support as they try their very best to restore peace and order in the province.

As the country takes time to reflect on the year this festive period, our beloved Men & Women in blue will be out and about to ensure that the safety of the people remains paramount this Christmas. As operations are being conducted in various parts of the country, newly appointed Southern Division Commander, Chief Superintendent Clement Dalla has pointed out that as we celebrate this festive season, we must ensure to do so responsibly. “I’d like to wish everyone in the southern region a very Merry Christmas. To the men in blue, I want to wish you all the best in the festive period ops. To the public, I urge you all to respect each other and be mindful of your actions.” To his hard working officers, the commander stated that he understands that there may be challenges faced as they conduct operations, but he urged them to do their jobs diligently and to conduct themselves in a manner befitting of a police officer. He also extended his appreciation to all those that have stood beside the command throughout the year. While spreading the Christmas spirit, CSP Dalla also added that next year will be a crucial one for the command because he plans to work with stake holders to address many underlying issues regarding the state of the command. Housing and working conditions for officers is one of the major issues and he will be looking to find ways to alleviate the burden faced by many in the force. Dalla said that for so long many issues have gone unattended to, therefore diminishing the effectiveness of the police and now he plans to put something together moving into the future to enhance working conditions.

As the year comes to a close and many wind down to spend time with family and friends, those who operate in the security forces will still be on duty this festive period. As for the Correctional Services, they play a vital role in the rehabilitation and reintegration of convicted persons back into society. CS Commissioner, Stephen Pokanis took the time to reflect on the year in celebration of the Christmas spirit. Commissioner Pokanis stated that it had been a tough year for the CS, having to deal with the loss of 5 servicemen with work being as hectic as ever. “In terms of work, it has been quite challenging for us. But looking at the good side, we have achieved a lot. More than we expected.” Close to 200 escapees were recorded to have escaped from correctional facilities in the country. This figure, according to CS Commissioner, Stephen Pokanis, has relatively decreased in recent years, compared to a few years ago when the average number of escapees was around 400 annually. The Commissioner stated that quite a number of prisoners had escaped from lawful custody this year. 197 prisoners escaped from various facilities around the country and Mr. Pokanis has said he is proud of all servicemen/women for giving their best to tackle the challenges that they have come across. “I can applaud all our CS officers for all their services. They have given their best amidst all the challenges we’ve faced.” One of the outstanding prisons to not have any recorded instances of escapes or attempts would be the Vanimo Correctional Institute in the West Sepik Province. It has also very positive year for the CS as they have increased the number of health workers from 12 to 46. The commissioner was delighted in stating that these are health workers that are trained and experienced in their field. “We recruited 16 health workers, these are trained, qualified and experienced in their field. From Community health workers to Nurses, including 4 Health extension officers who are working in almost all correctional institutes throughout the country.” In terms of budget, due to the struggling economy, the CS has tried their best to live within the budget and now at the end of the year there are still many challenges but Mr. Pokanis is optimistic that all will be in good hands. He thanked all service providers for enduring these tough times for being committed and truly appreciates their support. For the families that have members in prisons, the commissioner thanked them for their continued support to visiting them and giving the emotional and spiritual strength they need to better themselves for the future. “In that I wish all the prisoners and their families, the CS servicemen and women and their families the best for this year and we look forward to a better 2023.”

The Hela Provincial Education Board (PEB) has announced that they are now one of the two PEBs in the country that has successfully completed its 5 year education plan and will be looking to expand on that success into the New Year. Chair of the Hela PEB, Mr. Ronny Angu stated that for next year, their main focus will be on quality and inclusive education for their system. Angu said they are planning to look into early childhood education, access to education and training and equity regardless of geographical location, economic circumstance or gender/disability that may surround students. “We want to give as much support as we can to support school programs that will help our students, our learners to acquire and respect the form of standard Christian principles, customs, cultures and beliefs.” Another main aim of the Hela PEB for next year is to look into enhancing teaching, especially in terms of having sufficient well trained and qualified teachers that will be able to serve and meet students demand with the emphasis on having sufficient resources for quality teaching and learning to take place. This is one of the 9 areas that the board will be looking at to include an appropriate curriculum with a standardized assessment system in the province to make sure that the students will be supported with relevant learning material to acquire compatible skills and knowledge. They are planning as much as possible to assist with support to schools going forward into 2023. “We will try look into the way we assess school administrations in the schools and within the board itself to provide appropriate support and make sure that the administration of schools are functional, and support in a way that it is allowed, especially on their management and administrative systems.” He further added that this is to acquire the national policies and support by making them functional at the provincial and district level, so that the systems are providing efficient learning while utilizing proper information in the most appropriate manner.

Police in the largely archipelagic province of Milne Bay have beefed up manpower at the Gili-Gili Corrective Institution after receiving a tip off from informants of large scale criminal activity around the area. Provincial Police Commander, Peter Barkie, stated that they received information that there might be disturbances by organized criminals targeting the institution & right now, police are stepping up presence in and around the Institute. “We picked up information that there might be some disturbances by the bad guys particularly up at Gili-Gili. So we have stepped up our operation to cover that area.” "This is part of an ongoing operation: Codename Spear-gun that is running concurrently with operation starlight. This operation targets criminal operations here in the province." "The mission is to neutralize the threats posed by criminals to police, government officials and the people.” Meanwhile, since the commencement of Operation Starlight in Milne Bay Province, so far so good, PPC Barkie said he is delighted that no major incidents have been recorded in the past two weeks. "There have been minor incidents, such as reports of piracy and minor scuffles due to a land dispute, but they have been diffused and both matters are being dealt with." With threats to the safety of the public surfacing, this has prompted the PPC to request more logistical support from Police Headquarters here in the capital. He says this is to strengthen the operational capability of police in the province in dealing with these threats. Barkie stated that he is happy with the positive response from HQ as they will receive firearms and other resources.

This festive season in some parts of the country see a lot of liquor ban in place, however for the Milne Bay province, that is not the case. Provincial Police Commander, Superintendent Peter Barkie stated that for Milne Bay Province, there isn’t a need to enforce one, adding that so far so good, the people of Milne Bay have shown maturity and portrayed that they are civilized, thus there will be no need for a liquor ban. “Liquor ban only occurs when people don’t behave but our people have shown maturity so we will not be enforcing any liquor ban. We will not prohibit them, but we allow them to behave within the law.” Barkie has also expressed great praise for the people of the province as a result of the positive conduct that they have portrayed over the last two weeks. He added that they have been very popular for all the bad reasons in recent times, but now they have change to become model citizens with a lot of positive activities going on. “With the less number of crimes being committed, we are seeing tourists come back to the province and it’s a very good sign.” He hopes that due to this change Milne Bay can once again become the tourist hub of the country.

For the first time in history, the people of Yangoru-Saussia will have their own vibrant and state of the art campus to cater for the young people seeking tertiary education, after the District Development Authority signed an MoA with the University of Papua New Guinea this week. Member for Yangoru-Saussia and Minister for International Trade and Investments, Richard Maru stated that he was delighted as the UPNG will have a strong, vibrant, and futuristic campus in his district and may become a seat of a major institution of higher learning. “Today is a start of a new journey for UPNG and I want to thank the university Vice Chancellor, Professor Frank Griffin and the management team for having the confidence and entrusting this new journey to Yangoru-Saussia District out of all the districts in the country. Maru added when expressing his appreciation for the opportunity to work together with UPNG, that if all goes well, then they will be confident to roll out the similar program to other districts. As preparation moves on, the Yangoru-Saussia District has one campus at Warasawa in the Numbo LLG with two classrooms and a four-bedroom house for the Centre Director who will also be given a vehicle. Fencing of the campus is set to start and will be completed before the academic year begins. In the meantime, Maru assured the administration that the district will be a great host and will see no quality lost as the people will be fully committed to the notion of Excellence in education. He further stated that the district will provide the basis of a strong dynamic program of excellences, especially in the fields of science.