Deputy PM addresses police leaders

Caption:   Deputy PM (standing) addressing participants


By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, September 1, 2013 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)



DEPUTY Prime Minister Grand Chief Leo Dion addressed senior constabulary members attending a first of its kind Senior Leadership Development Program the is currently underway at the Bomana Police College, on the outskirts of Port Moresby last week.

As a part of Senior Leadership Development Program, a series of Leaders’ Forums are conducted in each of the three phases of the Program.

With the second phase currently underway, the Deputy PM and two other eminent PNG leaders made themselves available at a Leaders’ Forum to share their leadership experiences with the Program participants- the others being Sir Ila Geno and Mr Graham Ainui, both former policemen.  

Program participants were given the opportunity to listen and learn from the leadership lessons and wisdom of these prominent and successful PNG leaders.  

Being a former police officer himself with 24 years in the force, the Deputy PM shared his experiences and highlighted some issues that the constabulary faces today.

He highlighted the negativity surrounding the constabulary throughout the rank and file, which he said was a challenge for those present and the government to address.

Making special mention of those in the informal sector of the public service, as being vital partners that contribute to law and order; namely rural peace officers, village magistrates- urging police leaders to work closely with them.

“These informal public servants are vital agents of the government- maintaining law and order in our rural areas where formal law agencies may not be available.”

“They are your liaising partners, and I would like to thank our Prime Minister and National Executive Council who have recognised their important role by putting them on the formal payroll.”

“We can talk about development, but without law and order, this will be difficult to achieve,” he said.

The program is being run for six month, from May to December, and is a joint initiative of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary and the PNG-Australia Policing Partnership (PNG-APP), and will be delivered in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Police Management (AIPM), from Manly in Sydney, Australia.

Program Manager Martin Goode said that the final phase will begin in October.

“This initiative is central to the executive design to develop a pool of qualified and professional senior leaders as a part of the RPNGC’s succession planning.”

“The Program is designed to assist in the development of a cadre of RPNGC officers who have demonstrated the potential to perform duties at a senior or Executive level in the future,” he said in a statement.

There are currently twenty senior officers, 18 men and 2 women undertaking the Program most provincial commanders and some divisional heads.