PNG Provincial Police Commanders depart for Japan to attend Crime Seminar

Two Provincial Police Commanders (PPC) from Enga and Manus, Philip Welia and Alex Ndrasal left for Tokyo in Japan on Saturday for the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Senior Seminar.

The Seminar is being held by the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI) as part of their aim to review each participating country’s criminal justice system so as to suggest ways in which the systems could be strengthened, also giving special attention to appropriate measures for victims of crimes at each stage of the criminal justice process.

The two PPC’s were selected by the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) after a request was sent to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to help fund the training seminar program.

The two senior officers will be away for a month representing PNG in the seminar. They both thanked JICA and the RPNGC for the opportunity to receive and share the new found knowledge with their colleagues.

“It is an honor and a privilege to later impart the knowledge we will gain in a unique approach back to the law and justice sector,” said Enga PPC Philip Welia.

Manus PPC Alex Ndrasal said “This opportunity has come at the right time because the police force has currently launched the modernization project with support from the government so we can now address crime with new concepts and models,”

JICA Chief Representative Shigeru Sugiyama added that both men would have to provide a report of how they will utilize the new training and knowledge in effective groundwork plans.

“This seminar is meant for the officers to gain exposure to new knowledge and to create networks among other participants who would be coming from the Asia Pacific region,” said Mr Sugiyama.

He encouraged the officers to exchange views and opinions, build networks among other professionals in charge of police force and to learn what other countries were doing.

Mr Sugiyama acknowledged that JICA promoted crime prevention and added that hopefully this training would contribute to the recent tangible improvement in the police force.

ONG PNG / Post Courier