AAP: By George Clarke
The governor of NCD has vowed to ensure the city is safe to host night-time NRL games as the Papua New Guinean capital counts down towards the PNG Chiefs’ maiden season.
Powes Parkop, the long-serving governor of PNG’s capital, said plans were afoot to make sure visiting NRL teams and supporters felt safe in a city that has been frequently described as one of the most dangerous in the world.
DFAT’s travel advice for Australians visiting the Papua New Guinea capital encourages tourists to opt against travelling at night.
Parkop wants to prove Port Moresby can accommodate visitors day and night for the Chiefs NRL debut season in 2028 and has rolled out a new CCTV system.
“We’re going to 400 cameras with infrared lights, which are backed up by the AI, that will be able to monitor any problems,” Parkop told AAP.
“Once we have that in place it will give us a high level of security, which we tested in recent events like in September in our independence celebrations where there were zero incidents.
“Our goal is to have a capacity to respond to any likelihood or instance within five minutes.
“We cannot compromise the security of the capital because it’s very important for the entire nation.”