By CHRISTOPHER YANDAWAI
ALL night travels at sea throughout the waters of Mine Bay province have been restricted as of last Tuesday January 26 until further directives.
This is one of the 12 directives that were issued under the recently convened Provincial Law and Order Committee (PLOC) meeting headed by Provincial Administrator, Ashan Numa as Acting PLOC Chairman.
These directives were issued amidst the prevalent crime rates at sea including piracy within the vicinity of Milne Bay province in the recent past.
A daily province wide curfew from 10pm to 6am was introduced as another order with restriction of all night travels at seas throughout the waters of Milne Bay province from 6p to 6am.
All vessel owners registered under the Milne Bay Provincial Transport Authority Act 2009, and covered under the Small Crafts Act 2011 were also ordered to report in person with evidence of ownership of vessels, engines and current license by and no later than 1st February 2021 to the nearest government station or district headquarter.
Mr Numa further directed that all registered vessels shall stop at designated check-points or when required by officials enforcing the orders at the check-points.
All vessels with HF capability were also ordered to report their locations with the Command Centre and Transport Authority at or after 8am and every four hours after that.
Numa said all ward members, village court and peace officers to provide to their Area Managers and District Administrators a list of vessel on land breaches and dry dock in the respective wards within 30 days.
He said passes for the curfew period and travel at sea shall be issued by the Provincial Administrator, Provincial Transport Authority and District Administrators, as the case may require.
A joint-operation by the Provincial Transport Authority and Police were ordered to enforce these orders with those who breach the orders be met with the full force of the law.
Following the announcing of the orders, Member for Esa’ala, Davis Steven pointed out that piracy and crimes committed at sea present a peculiar and difficult challenge in law and order.
He said crimes committed at sea thus require a different skill set and infrastructure to deal with it.
Davis said the Royal PNG Constabulary does not have that capability as yet.
“I call on the government to plan and invest in a safe and secure maritime transportation and police system to connect our people and stimulate economic growth to improve living standards for our seafaring communities,” Davis said.
