Several shops in Port Moresby were looted then set on fire as looters cashed in on any items they could carry from the ravaged outlets. It comes as a protest lead by police officers in Port Moresby expressed anger over additional taxes imposed on fortnightly wages for public servants throughout the country.
The protest started at Unagi Oval at 10am yesterday morning, where Police Union President, Lowa Tambua addressed police, PNGDF personnel and other public servants.
Internal Security Minister, Peter Tsiamalili Jnr who represented the Marape Rosso government tried to address the upset public servants but they demanded the Prime Minister should address them.
Minutes after the departure of Minister Tsiamalili Jnr, members of the three disciplinary forces including the Fire Department convoyed to the National Parliament House in attempts to meet with the Prime Minister, James Marape.
The Parliament Speaker, Job Pomat meet with the angry public servants outside the Parliament House and promised he would meet with the Prime Minister and return to them in a few hours.
Around 1pm when Prime Minister Marape was addressing the media on a separate matter, angry police officers who had waited for a response at Unagi Oval fronted up outside the Manasupe House and broke down the fence before setting the Guard House and a security car on fire.
This sparked widespread looting in all three electorates in NCD.
Many people went live on social media as they witnessed the Stop n Shop’s North Waigani branch taken over by opportunists.
At around 10am yesterday, when normal public servants pay reached their accounts, many witnessed huge cuts of up to K100.
This further elaborated by the high cost of living affecting lives of ordinary citizens.
The country’s tax office – Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) in an immediate response said it was a glitch in the government payroll system.
Commissioner General Sam Koim said investigations will be conducted and a whole of government sector approach will be undertaken to rectify this issue as soon as possible.
When that will be fixed is not known yet, what is known is that several businesses have been looted as a result.
At Sabama, a bystander was allegedly shot at by a shop owner after attempts were made to loot the shop.
Elsewhere in six mile, a location for its stop over for people travelling the Magi highway, shops closed before lunch, yesterday, after police had warned them of any unrest.
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