IN September 1983, when Michael Thomas Somare was Prime Minister with the ordinary title mister, he chaired a cabinet meeting that agreed to a downsizing policy that would displace 1,111 soldiers from the PNG Defence Force.
He was a knight of the commonwealth with the esteemed Sir prefixed to his name, when in 1990, the National Court awarded 920 of the displaced ex-servicemen ex-gratia payments totalling K42 million (K9.9 million for one group and K32.135 million for another group).
Today, 25 years after the 1983 decision, Sir Michael has added Grand Chief of the Order of Logohu to his title and has been in politics 40 years. He has been returned to lead the country for an unprecedented fifth time.
While Sir Michael has progressed in his political life, there by the wayside, on sick beds, before betelnut stands, selling bottles and chicken manure and working the hillsides of our land in many distant parts of the country, are the soldiers he has displaced. Their fortunes have not changed one bit. Almost one third of their number have died.
The Prime Minister knows the ex-servicemen have not been paid 18 years after the court had awarded it to them.
The Grand Chief was informed in 2005 that 25 from the first group of 188, who were awarded K9.9 million had passed away. Their widows and children fight on.
He has been told that over 100 of the second group of 782 have also died without receiving their just rewards for loyal service to the State.
Just recently, the Prime Minister was said to have paid for the fares of a dead ex-serviceman from his native Angoram to be transported back home. This man too, was part of the group. For him the delay proved too long.
And to his credit, the Prime Minister has sympathised and tried to act but to no avail.
He took up the ex-servicemen’s case on Dec 6, 2005, when he wrote to then Mmnister for Finance and Treasury, Bart Philemon directing that the outstanding amounts owing be paid.
The relevant part of Sir Michael’s letter reads: “Considering the age-group these beneficiaries are in now, coupled with the fact that some have already passed away, while others are still awaiting for their call, I consider this request as genuine, which needs your immediate attention in paying our former servicemen their full entitlements.
“Based on the above and on humanitarian grounds, you are advised to kindly direct the Department of Treasury to secure the funding to settle this outstanding claim in full.”
The Prime Minister’s letter was simply brushed aside by the then attorney-general.
Two years later, on Dec 6, 2007, the Prime Minister went one step further and raised this issue again, this time in a cabinet submission he sponsored.
In this submission, the following noteworthy arguments were raised:
“Further delay would create conflict between the Government and the ex-servicemen, ‘a situation that may result in undesirable consequences …’
“The Government must be seen to be doing something positive to settle individual or collective claims by the ex-servicemen concerned, consistent with court orders and the Prime Minister’s directive.
“The Government must accept that these ex-servicemen who are entitled to their retrenchment benefits, have served their country well and with distinction and many have died already.
“The threshold question for this Government to consider is whether we as a Government, who have been elected by the people of this country for the people of this country, are being fair to our people who include these ex-servicemen; and, the amount to be paid to the ex-servicemen should not be an impediment to us considering their legitimate claim because at the end of the day, the money remains in this country and the State can recoup it through taxes.”
The Prime Minister recommended to cabinet that money be made available in the 2008 budget under a separate expense account for the exclusive purpose of settling the ex-servicemen’s retrenchment claims under a special vote authority in the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council.
The Attorney-General was to confirm the eligibility of the ex-servicemen and the amounts calculated noting that benefits were due in 1989 and to make the necessary adjustments to account for inflation and monetary value fluctuations and the Secretary for Finance was directed to identify such monies as could be found for this express purpose.
Still the procrastination continues. The dying continues. And the frustration and anger continues to build.
Now the Defence Minister Bob Dadae has stepped into the picture by suggesting that the ex-servicemen be included in a wider programme to pay all other claims before the State, including a group belonging to the colonial army.
A new group of experts have been engaged to take another look at the issue with the view to draft a cabinet submission on the matter. It will delay the issue further and frustrate the ex-servicemen.
The Prime Minister’s approach is sensible and ought to be supported. This is not a mere claim we are looking at. All relevant issues have been looked at in their entirety and argued before a court of law, which, after looking at all the evidence before it, has awarded certain amounts to these ex-servicemen.
The delay is simple bureaucratic red tape and caused by a lot of middle men, who have been making mega bucks at the expense of the ex-servicemen.