BY YOMBI KEP
Bring it on, these are words from the more than 10 female body guards and their trainers during their last tactical driving drill at the Air Transport Wing, Port Moresby.
“We are ready for APEC,” said the Royal PNG Constabulary (RPNGC) close personal protection (CPP) lead driver trainer, Rauma Lo’O. “Bring it on.” The 12 female CPP officers (body guards) are from the different units in Port Moresby who underwent two weeks of tactical advance driving under the close supervision of trainers from the RPNGC and the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
“We are 100 per cent ready, if they are to drive a leader tomorrow, they are ready,” said Sergeant Lucas Atkins from the AFP.
The female officers expressed gratitude to be among the group and reiterated that they have learnt a lot apart from the fact that they all knew how to drive.
“It’s a privilege to be in this group with the other fellow female officers. We have also learnt a lot of new things,” said Chief Sergeant Wendy Simaliong who had been with the RPNGC for 23 years. “Even though we know how to drive, it’s a challenge that a lot of the things that we thought was right were actually wrong.” Meanwhile, first Constable Angela Peken who has been with the RPNGC for 10 years was grateful for the opportunity and expressed great gratitude towards the trainers who have stuck by them through the good and bad times while training.
“I know how to drive but it was really tough for me in the beginning, I thought I would’t pass my training but we have good instructors who encouraged us to do better and I am now ready for APEC,” said Constable Peken.