The deputy leader of the opposition in Papua New Guinea says the government has to overhaul its funding and resourcing of policing.
A Papua New Guinea police vehicle Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
Sam Basil, who is the MP for Bulolo, says there is frequent tribal fighting in the district which has a dramatic impact on the communities.
He says the under resourced local police cannot cope.
Mr Basil says in a district of about 130,000 people they have just 30 police which he says is less than a generation ago and nowhere near what the United Nations recommends.
"We do not have that quota any more and I think this is the problem throughout Papua New Guinea. Not only the manpower, we also have the disciplinary and also the operational problems and also the backups. They do not have fuel, they do not have vehicles, they do not have printers, they do not have papers to print, and all this. It's very bad. I think the government has to look at the whole situation."
Sam Basil.