01/03/2022
Hi guys, i was just thinking about the law and order issues here in West New Britain and i would like to share some of my views.
There are many issues concerning law and order but for now I would like to talk about the reoccurring burglaries and armed robberies.
Every often, we get reports of armed robberies and reports of youths going around in large numbers jumping over fences and breaking into the houses of unsuspecting victims.
Mind you, these youths are often armed with fi****ms and explosives, either homemade or factory made including machetes.Their objective, get in, grab anything valuable and get out.
Based upon reports and intelligence compiled, the common suspects are aged between 12 and 23 years of age. The ones over 20 are often the ringleaders.
One has to wonder why very young people are involved and why they keep doing this.
Many things come into play
1-Parental obligations
You as the parent of a child under 20 should take control of your household. Set rules for your family members to follow, be home before 6 don't leave home unless u get permission. Eat dinner together as a family, talk to the kids advice and guide them so they can stay on the right path. Correct your children when they are wrong, discipline them and explain to them why they have been disciplined, never support children who have done wrong because you are actually destroying instead of helping them. Socio economic stress is also a factor affecting youths behaviour.
2- Peer Pressure
The peer pressure at this certain age comes either direct from their school mates, neighbourhood friends or indirectly from the environment they are being brought up in. People at this age need someone to look up to as a good role model, and if parents and older siblings can't fulfil that. They look elsewhere and often end up choosing bad role models who are often within their community. Young people are very easily influenced at this age, this is when they start building their mindsets. As an adult or a parent, talk to youngsters and children about the importance of socializing with the right people.
3- Neglection
When adults and parents neglect their responsibilities as I've mentioned earlier,kids go astray, they roam freely without control giving way for negetivity to step in. We need more social workers to frequently go out into the communities and create awareness and give advice to specific groups of people listed by responsible ward councillors and committee's. I think it's time community leaders and responsible authorities like the Provincial and National Government become more responsible and act proactively to help minimise avoidable situations. The main factors of socio economic stress must be thoroughly addressed before things really get out of hand.
4- RPNGC
The RPNGC today faces many challenges, they can only do what they are capable of doing with the limited resources on hand. Take for instance, most of the Government offices and entities have seen major upgrades and improvements in their workplace while the police station remained the same since establishment. They work without computers and printers in the offices and go their own way digging from their pockets to serve the interests of the police department. The Royal Papua New Guinea constabulary's motto is securing a safer community in partnership which you can see printed on the sides of most police vehicle's. The motto basically means that The RPNGC alone can not be able to secure a safer community unless it works in partnership with the people. When we say the people, it basically means each and every Papua New Guinean. In each community, we have the peoples rep, they are the council's and committee's appointed by the people for the people. These community leaders are the bridge between the people of each community and the police. When there is a communication breakdown between the people,the leaders and the police, we should always expect unruly behaviour especially from youths in the community.
Change will come when we start working together, if we keep turning a bling eye to the topics mentioned, a dark and gloomy future awaits us. The onus is now on each and everyone of us to facilitate change. It is now or never.
BE THE CHANGE
