PNG: Madang police angry over 'misreporting' by local journos

PORT MORESBY (PNG Post-Courier / Pacific Media Watch): Madang Governor James Gau and local reporters yesterday came under fire by Papua New Guinea police who challenged that they not only get their facts right but also be "more supportive" of the work they continue to do under trying conditions.

A further challenge was also issued by the frustrated police and community leaders to the political leaders of the province that they also put their money where their mouth is.

All this were vented during a lunch-hour meeting [on Wednesday] which was called by Madang Police Chief Superintendent Anthony Wagambie (Jnr) and his officers with local journalists to respond to reports which had been published in relation to the incident in The National newspaper yesterday.

Supt Wagambie and his senior officers had described the reports as "misleading, incorrect" and had the potential of "inciting further problems", including demoralising his officers who had been working tirelessly since the weekend.

Wagambie said what had irked them was the fact that the report had stated that the criminals were settlers and in addition the story had suggested that police were not working.

A visibly irate Supt Wagambie, in response, stated that the criminals who had attacked the Provincial Administrator Ben Lange were not settlers but locals from Banab village.

This was also confirmed by Lange himself in a separate interview he gave to reporters, also yesterday afternoon.

Supt Wagambie said this had to be made clear, adding the issue of eviction was a different matter to what had happened over the weekend and the two should not be mixed up. 

He said as to the K700,000 which Gau had made mention of in his statement, police had yet to see a toea.

“We have only heard about the K700,000 and have yet to receive it. Where is it? I would also like to put on record that the eviction will be carried out in an orderly manner and will not target everybody.

“We have some genuine people even police officers who live in these places and come to work, where will they go and who will do their job,” he said.

He said to suggest that police were not working was very insensitive, especially in relation to this case as with manpower still an issue, his men had been working around the clock and without proper food and rest.

He said this had resulted in them being able to haul in three of the six known suspects.