Need for defence force audit & enhancement
08 May 2010
IT IS TIME the PNG government audited its Defence Force.
Since independence, the PNGDF has had many challenges. They continue to this day - a result of constant failures by successive governments.
The whole defence organisation has a seriously eroded institutional capacity and is in danger of being like the rest of PNG’s dysfunctional public service.
In recent years, several people have expressed concerns to government that it must start seriously addressing the national security situation.
The government has failed to ensure our defence force is appropriately equipped to effectively carry out its core functions.
The present state of affairs clearly demonstrates a lack of a long term vision. Moreover, successive defence administrations have done little to address ongoing deficiencies.
Before auditing the military, the government needs to look at the national security big picture to ensure defence policy complements foreign policy.
It should ask what role it expects of the PNGDF in future.
The Ministry must generate a new defence white paper to ensure all programs and activities are properly budgeted, and not done ad hoc manner as has been the norm in recent times.
Despite its shortcomings, the PNGDF is a necessary instrument of the state.In PNG it has several functions. Not only does it undertake various security roles [surveillance and response, enforcement and interdiction, maritime law enforcement, border patrols, intelligence collation] it provides aid to the civil community [remote area medical patrols, coastwatch duties, search and rescue, mercy missions, etc].
Its span of responsibilities overlap with agencies like police, fisheries, customs, health, environment, foreign and provincial affairs, works and transport departments, provincial and community governments, and so on.
At its present complement, the PNGDF is not at a minimum credible level to satisfactorily meet its obligations.
As a result of budget-driven reductions, it is grossly under strength with many hollow operational units.
The pool of well trained junior officers and other key personnel is too small. It’s time for Defence to receive a higher priority in PNG.
Thanks Rosco for your encouraging remarks, as usual.
Recently a government insider indirectly said to me, over a beer, to ease down as they are getting embarrassed as they do not know how to respond.
As usual I gave him a piece of my mind. I told this very senior public servant that I will not stop because the ordinary soldier, sailor and airman in my Defence Force has not a voice in our parliament or in the government he pays his tax to each pay day.
He confided to me that some big people inside are getting worried that my occasional media comments might upset some guys call Michael or Mekere.
Yes, the latter name sounds familiar doesn't it. It's the same fella now in opposition who made the stupid decision to cut our military muscle by a whopping 62 percent.
No country's leadership can do that and win an election, and that's what happened in 2002.
The PNG government and opposition leaders must now decide to re-look at defence and national security to start doing something about making the PNGDF strong and capable again like in its halcyon days, when this blogger was a young swashbuckling seafarer driving those Australian built Attack-Class patrol gunboats in the mid 1970s.
Posted by: Reginald Renagi | 06 June 2010 at 12:40 PM
There have already been periodic investigations of varying degrees of scope and intensity into the role, functions and establishment of the PNG Defence Force since before Independence. These have arisen from a variety of causes including necessary strategic reviews or as a result of specific or endemic problems,
Generally, the role and function of a national defence force is to provide external security of the national borders. National or local police forces are responsible for the maintenance of internal law and order.
The role is determined by the State and funding provided. The functions to fulfil the role are determined by High Command and public servants.
The establishment is calculated from a strategic assessment of role scope to determine the personnel, assets and equipment required to provide the operational capability and support services having regard to funding provided.
From time to time, extra-ordinary circumstances arise whereby the State must drastically increase the establishment to meet a temporary external crisis such as a world or regional war that must be politically supported.
Historically, PNG has reviewed and developed a limited defence capability appropriate to its assessed needs and recognising its physical, human, financial and political capacity. There is an historical reliance on Australia, arising from Australia's off-shore defence policy, to provide support in the event of a major threat to PNG. However, political relationships suffer from periodic ups and downs which may affect mutual cooperation at some point in time.
We know the PNGDF arose from a proud history in peace and war with predecessor units such as the several Papuan Infantry Battalions, the New Guinea Infantry Battalions, the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, the PNG Volunteer Rifles and the Pacific Islands Regiment.
Service was looked upon with pride as a worthwhile career and ex-servicemen of my acquaintance had an "esprit de corps" which leads me to the point of Reg's post.
Any "audit" of the Defence Force needs to take into account a number of current factors that have been the subject of other independent posts on this site. Factors such as the internal law and order problem, fraud and corruption, pay and conditions of personnel, relationships with the RPNGC, and so on...
We know from time to time that there are fractured relationships with the RPNGC where physical confrontations have and will occur. We have read where Defence Force personnel have gone for long periods without pay or retirement benefits forcing individuals to either rely on family or sell equipment and clothing to survive.
Any review must include the RPNGC because of the role confusion that takes place frequently and the similar issues that affect morale in the RPNGC.
Any review and subsequent actions must address these issues collectively to ensure harmony between the external and internal forces. There must be a transparent, diligent and honest support public service mechanism to support these forces. And, finally, there must be the political will to ensure that a revised and refreshed Defence Force is supported physically and financially to ensure that the best type of candidate is recruited to restore service efficiency and pride.
Keep pushing them Reg. Use your influence if you can.
Posted by: Ross Wilkinson | 09 May 2010 at 04:58 PM