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| PNG Prime Minister Peter O'neill. Getty Images |
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill will consider setting up a tourist police unit to look after the security and welfare of tourists in the country.
He said this in Parliament yesterday while responding to questions from Bulolo MP and Opposition deputy leader Sam Basil over the killing of two local guides and wounding 12 other on the Black Cat Trek in Wau Rural of Bulolo district, Morobe, on Tuesday.
Basil said the suspects, believed to be escapees, attacked the local guides and foreigners, killing two locals and wounding 12 others who were airlifted to the Angau Hospital in Lae yesterday.
He also called on O’Neill and the police to remove old police officers in the district as they had compromised their duties after being associated with the people for a long time.
Basil also thanked O’Neill for his prompt action in providing the police helicopter “Eye in the sky” yesterday to assist in the evacuation exercise.
He said the thugs must receive the death penalty and called on the Government to address the issue as it could affect tourism.
O’Neill thanked Basil for alerting him and the police on the incident that prompted him to provide the helicopter at 6.30am yesterday to assist in the evacuation of the foreigners and the casualties.
The prime minister said he had instructed a mobile police unit to be dispatched to the district to contain the law and order issues which had gone out of hand.
“The frequent criminal activities are unacceptable to our society that is created by people influenced by drugs and alcohol,” he said.
He said they would work with the Tourism Promotion Authority to establish the concept of police tourism in the country like in Bali.
He said the country had a great tourism potential which was an important catalyst for development.
The National/Pacific Flash