MEDIA RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2018
THE ATTACK ON THE SANCTITY OF PARLIAMENT CONDEMNED
PORT MORESBY: National Capital District Governor, Hon. Powes Parkop this evening condemned the rampage being done to the Parliament by the disgruntled APEC security officers and looting inflicted by opportunists on several shops in the city yesterday.
“Whilst order has been restored and I am happy it’s business as usual in our capital city, I want to condemn the criminal act of the officers in their attack on our House of Parliament.
“An attack on the parliament is an attack on the sovereignty of our people. It’s criminal and it has to be utterly condemned.
“I am feeling a sense of grief inside me that this has happened in Port Moresby and it’s a tragedy for our city,” he said.
Yesterday after calming the situation down with the security personnels involved in the incident just to deescalate the situation so everyone can go home in peace for the stability of the city, Mr Parkop said he was still shocked how grown up members of the joint security task force for APEC see it fit to destroy parliament at will just for delay in payment of allowance.
“This is utterly unacceptable.
“I call upon everyone involved to do the right thing let it be arrests, suspension, salary cut to repair the damages or total sacking from the force. Your job is to protect the country not to provoke tension and chaos,” an angry Parkop said.
“As Governor of our Capital City I want to assure residents that I will not allow such nonsense or mishap to happen again. I am in discussions with the Police Minister to give me High Level Special Unit Security Officers to protect state institutions in the city even if NCDC has to fund it,” he said.
The trauma and the shock waves to our residents, school going children, commuters, shoppers, business houses due to such irresponsible behaviour is truly unbelievable and unbecoming of our people, according to him.
“I am sad to say that the behaviour and the mind set of our people are still a long way to any form of civility.
“We are on high alert and we have learnt our lessons and I once again assure everyone to feel safe and go about your work and business as I am doing all I can to assure safety and peace in our city as my number 1 priority.
God bless our city and our country Papua New Guinea,” he said.
APPROVED FOR RELEASE
……………………………….
Hon. Powes Parkop, LLB, LLM, MP
