City Wardens at the Manu Auto Port Market in Port Moresby city have raised safety concerns, encouraging the city residents to take extra precaution to ensure their own safety in that area.
The City Warden’s Team Leader (TL) Mr. Joe Rudi addressed a strong concern for families and communities to exercise self-security precautions in daily routines, especially neighborhoods unprotected by City Wardens.
When interviewed by PNG HAUSBUNG on Friday 2nd April, for the successful deployment of 50 City Wardens to Operate in Manu Market, Mr. Rudi emphasized that opportunists are everywhere and tend to attack or commit crimes at locations without law enforcement.
Mr. Rudi stressed that perpetrators once took advantage of the lack of police presence in particular areas in the city, resulting in frequent unlawful activities. However, that idea has come to pass with the City Wardens in place, especially in the busy public bus-stop locations such as Boroko, 4-Mile, the Manu Auto Port Market, 3-Mile, Central Waigani and Town.
Although there is an active presence of City Wardens in these hotspot locations, the unlawful mentality and behavior seem to be on random timing and locations, especially in the city. The consistent pattern of lawlessness activities has reduced but not eliminated, and therefore, self-security must not be taken lightly.
Mr. Rudi said that although petty crime is being reduced, there is still going to be threats to the lives of the people due to the uncontrolled growing population in the city.
He explained that city life is not easy for everyone, and criminals will still find ways to steal and rob people in order to survive. Having said that, he further stressed that fending off an opportunist in first encounters may be luck and occasionally satisfying, but the next encounter is not certain, which could result in a worst-case scenario; therefore, people must practice caution at all times.
“It’s important to communicate with your family and friends of your location when traveling to keep them informed for safety,” he said.
He reassured the communities there that safety and security will be established and only asks in return for the residents to cooperate with them in ensuring public safety.