Police manpower will be increased starting next year as the Government starts focusing more on the law-and-justice sector, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape announced today (November 6, 2022). He said more judges and magistrates would also be recruited as the sector was moved to the forefront of Government focus amidst an increasing law-and-order problem. The Prime Minister said rundown jail facilities throughout the country would also be improved and rehabilitation for inmates, including through further education via Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) and Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE), would be strengthened. PM Marape said Police would embark on a recruitment drive next year to increase manpower to 7000 from the current 5000 at the very earliest, and 10,000 in the medium-term. “We cannot deny that there are so many issues within the Police Force, including lack of manpower, which has allowed it to deteriorate over the years,” he said. “It also does