MEMBER for Vanimo-Green and Chairman of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Foreign Affairs, Hon. Belden Namah has described the suspension of Papua New Guinea Defense Commander as “short-sighted and unsound”.
He said suspending the strategic leadership of the Force for a tactical training mishap that caused injuries and fatalities appears to be based on very poor advice.
Mr. Namah was responding to recent government’s decision to suspend PNGDF Commander, Major-General Mark Goina from duties for three months.
In a statement last Friday, Prime Minister James Marape said: “The Commander’s suspension is to allow the General Board Of Inquiry into the incident to take place with Independence and Integrity, and also to safeguard the dignity of the Commander.”
However, Namah said: “This is all superficial.”
“l understand that immediately after the training incident, the Commander suspended the entire training unit involved, including the Commanding Officer of Goldie River Training Depot, and commenced an internal investigation.
“Why suspend the Commander when there are layers of authority between the training unit and the Commander.
“The Chief of Training and the Deputy Commander should be suspended as well,” Namah said.
“It simply makes no sense to suspend the Commander and not the entire training command below him.
“It’s an ill-informed decision by the NEC.”
Mr. Namah recalled that the last time PNGDF saw a Defence Board of Inquiry was in 2005, involving a clandestine operation that flew Solomon Islands Attorney General Julian Moti to Munda Island in Solomons.
He said the Strategic Leadership of the Force was part of the decision authorizing the use of the PNGDF aircraft and yet the Commander was not suspended during the inquiry.
“In fact he fully cooperated with the inquiry.”
Namah urged Prime Minister and the National Executive Council to consult with professionals and seek proper advice on such matters.
He said the Prime Minister and the NEC are unnecessarily exposing themselves to criticisms that continue to dampen government reputation.
“Why not suspend the Police Commissioner for the deteriorating law & order situation or the Commissioner of Correctional Institutional Services for frequent jails breaks?
“People are watching us and they can see the lack of consistency in our decision-making.
“Allow the Commander to get to the bottom of this incident.
“Those soldiers killed and wounded during the training exercise are his soldiers and he owes it to their families,” he said.
“This is too soon for Government to intervene in a matter of this nature especially in suspending the Commander because it serves no purpose at all.
“Anywhere in the world, injuries and fatalities in military training are not uncommon and it is the responsibility of the strategic leadership of the force to investigate and hold the training unit command accountable.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Namah extends his sincere condolences to the families of the two soldiers killed in the training, and those that were injured.
“I pray that truth shall be revealed through the Board of Inquiry and bring you all closure and peace.”
