21 Feb 2013

PNG police want to know why their insurance hasn't been paid

7:38 pm on 21 February 2013

The Papua New Guinea Police Association says it is investigating why the government is yet to pay life insurance cover for more than 5000 officers.

The union signed an agreement with the police force in 2008 for staff insurance cover, and the then government promised to pay an annual sum of 2 million US dollars under the deal.

The Acting general secretary of the Police Association Martin Karue says he hopes police headquarters can provide answers as to why the money has not yet been paid.

"We have tried to take it up in the budget almost every year since then. That money is not coming. I'm not sure, it is probably beause of administrative causes. Our people are not included in the budget appropriations. Perhaps it needs some further investigations to really ascertain what is happening."

Martin Karue says the government now owes more than nine million dollars worth of life insurance cover and says he plans to confront it once initial investigations are complete.