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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

National security at risk

From The National

 

The escape of the 12 dangerous prisoners is now a national security issue.

The National Security Advisory Committee summoned Correctional Services Commissioner Richard Sikani to brief them after lunch yesterday on the escape.

NSAC chairman and Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenouc has been recalled from Lae where he is attending the Lutheran church synod to attend to this issue.

The NSAC will be conducting a full meeting today to address the break-out of some of the worst criminals in the country.

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has been informed.

Correctional Service Minister Tony Aimo who is away in his Ambunti-Drekikier electoral for electoral duties is also believed to have been briefed and will be returning to Port Moresby to take charge of the situation.

Mr Sikani said yesterday that the NSAC would be conducting its own independent investigations into the great escape.

He said the Correctional Service would be conducting its own investigations in what he called “highly suspicious” escape where all security procedures at the maximum security unit at Bomana were breached.

Business houses have been warned to take extra security measures in light of the escape of the country’s top criminals.

4 comments:

  1. Sol Dia4:33 PM

    Richard Sikani should take full responsibilty for this slack actions by his guards at Bomana for dangerous criminals to escape into the community. The CIS is a very incompetent organization and too many times in the past they have been very slack to allow prisoners to escape.

    This latest prison break is both an inside and outside job as there are people with money to plan and organised this criminal act. It makes the CIS look very stupid and the poor police are frustrated to go out again and look for them.

    Get the army out there to flush them out and kill them if they resist.

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  2. I understand Richard Sikani has been suspended for alleged mismanagement of the CIS, however, he's still there. I'll have to check this up.

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  3. Reginald Renagi9:51 AM

    This prison break-out has proved we do not really have a maximum security division at Bomana if a simple plan to spring some of the country's dangerous inmate.

    AusAid has invested millions in recent times to improve our prison system in the country but we keep getting these incidents show we still have not got a good effective prison system.

    I just heard on the EM TV news last night that the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC) after their emergency meeting this week and being briefed by CIS Commissioner, Richard Sikani plans to spend about K500,000 to have this incident investigated to come up with recommendations to prevent similar recurrences in future. What a waste of funds.

    The way to do it after hearing what Richard Sikani has to say is for NSAC to set up immediately a special but small effective Inter-departmental Investigative Committee to produce a cost-effective report. The report must come up with some good key recommendations to prevent such incidents in future. It will not cost much to do this and can be done under K10,000 within a 14 day period.

    I have been involved in some very complex investigations in Defence over the years before and can do a weekend Investigative report for less K100 (for direct liasons/cosultations, A4 paper, printing, binding & presentations, etc) and some cups of coffee & sandwiches with a small support staff. What's my point here, Malum?

    My point is that every time we have a drama like this, the authorities think in terms of how much money we will spend by getting some expensive consultants to do a routine job that we already can do within the system we already have.

    The CIS is doing it own internal preliminary investigations now. But we need an external independent inter-departmental committee to do this within 14 days for the NSC and NEC to deliberate on it and make tough decisions to prevent, or minimize such recurrences in future.

    In PNG we always try to make it too complicated when its not. All key relevant departmental heads who must now be fully involved are: police, CIS, defence, PM's Dept, NIO, DEpt of Community Development, Welfare, NCDC, Churches just to mention a few. They must be well organized and given a direction to produce this report for NEC without throwing good money away. Many reports costing over half-a- million Kina are collecting dust in Waigani without being followed up and firm action taken by key relevant state agencies.

    Will post a simple action plan on the blog later on what we should do as the authorities are always being reactive and not proactive here.

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  4. Good constructive comments Reg. There are so many of us around here who can contribute free of charge or at very little fees unlike thos "con"sultants. Meantime, I strongly feel that Richard Sikani must leave the jails and perhaps look after a children's playschool.

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