Since the horrific acts of violence that we witnessed on Sunday afternoon, I have ensured the following has been undertaken to ensure peace and security to take back our city so we can return to normalcy within the shortest times.
1. Police have removed all supporters’ tents from all the counting centres for all NCD Seats.
2. All the leading Candidates for Moresby North East have met at my invitation as the (incumbent) Governor and they have all pledged to restrain their supporters to not engage in any such acts of violence again. They have also made the call to their supporters and welcome police action to arrest the perpetrators and investigate involvement of any candidates in planning or inciting these acts of violence
3. Police have arrested 18 people suspected of being involved in the violence acts and for their part in planning such acts of violence.
4. National Government has also called out the Military to come and support the police to provide security to the counting centres and to the city as a whole.
5. Police are now deployed in strategic parts of the city to ensure no acts of violence take place including clamping down on opportunist who might take advantage to incite fear, panic and violence.
Since Monday, 25th of July, the city has been influenced more by fear and anxiety caused by fake news than any real instance of violence or chaos. An image of something, was made into a greater bigger scene than what it actually was.
As incumbent Governor, I am driving around the length and breath of the city and all I am witnessing for my myself about 98 percent of normalcy have returned.
Today the Commissioner for Police requested that we take time to ensure police and security personal can assure us of safety and security of the city. I did visit most of our communities in the city this morning and afternoon and can confirm the relative safety of our entire city.
I can understand the shock and the trauma at the aftermath of such gruesome video, and for this, I offer my heartfelt apologies and I am truly heartbroken to the children growing in the city that they may continue to have this shock in their formative years. Not only children but all of us.
I pray that this incident will never occur again and as I said, I will make Law and Order a priority once the new Government is formed.
I ask everyone to be more vigilant and take care but please continue life as usual. Investigate everything you read on Social Media and don’t share or peddle negative fake news to create fear.
We can’t allow our city to be taken hostage and fueled with fear.
Together, we are greater. I am happy that some communities took measures to protect themselves like Kirakira village, Gerehu stage 5 and some at Dikakari Street in Tokarara.
City Hall and the office of our Municipal Government that manages, administer and leads the development of our city was open whole day today. Some staff and facilities like markets could not open due to inability of some staff to come to work due to the absence of majority of public transport in the city.
Today all of NCDC capacity and services will be back to normal and I call on our people to resume normal schedules and activities.
SOURCE: NCD GOVERNOR HON POWES PARKOP FB PAGE