Depot owners after their money from heavy ‘kaon’ or credit by RSIPF
BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
FUEL owners in Isabel are calling on the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force to pay off their credits.
Buala police, Isabel province have been without fuel since the beginning of this year.
Police Commissioner Mostyn Mangau has lashed out at Buala police, refusing to accept that they are without fuel.
Fuel depot owners in Buala station, Isabel, are complaining that their businesses are being choked by huge outstanding credits by Buala police which have not been paid for months.
One of the fuel owners said that Buala Police had borrowed fuel from his business and have not paid up despite follow-up.
He said such practice by the Buala Police is not acceptable and killing off small businesses who are trying to survive.
“It is a loss to our business,” one fuel business owner said.
Acting Provincial Police Commander of Isabel Stephen Maneleba confirmed that fuel business owners surrounding Buala have now refused to make arrangements with them to borrow fuel – because of unpaid credits.
Maneleba said Buala police are yet to receive fuel from the main headquarter.
Emails sent to the Assistant Commissioner responsible for Provincial were never replied, he adds.
Maneleba said they have been without fuel since the beginning of this year.
He said fuel shortage has caused inconvenience on their work to do policing around the island.
Meanwhile Police Commissioner Mostyn Mangau said fuel for the provinces for the first quarter of this year were sent in January.
“For the Buala police to say that they are now run out of fuel is not a reasonable excuse.”
Mangau said fuel borrowed from business owners should now be replaced.
“Police have various capabilities and as police officers they should know how to manage their resources, when they see that they are going to run out of fuel before the next quarter is ready they should use low-powered engines rather using the high-powered engines,” Mangau said.
He said police are now ready to send fuel for the second quarter once the payment is ready and police officers in the provinces should manage police resources for policing job not for unnecessary runs and personal use.
Therefore, Mangau call on police officers in the provinces to manage their resources properly and for police work only.
