‘Use aid to secure borders’

A MEMBER of the national strategic plan task force has called for foreign aid, such as the K300 million from Australia to law and justice sector, to be channelled towards fighting law and order problems in rural areas and in securing the PNG borders.
Security and International Relations chairman with the task force, Peter Peipul, made the call after welcoming the Australian government’s assistance announced by Australian High Commissioner Chris Moraitis.
Mr Peipul also said the law and justice sector had so many consultants that ate up big chunks of foreign aid.
He said consultancies must be cut back to channel savings to security issues.
Mr Peipul said under the 40-year plan (2010-50), the first task was to secure the international borders and to resolve internal law and order issues.
He said PNG’s international borders with Indonesia, Australia and the Solomon Islands have been the source of illegal activities including drug and gun running and human trafficking.
“I am calling for the establishment of a border guard, a joint PNG Defence Force and Police special force to contain external and internal security issues.”
He said PNG must tell Australia where the priority areas were under the 40-year strategy and fund targeted areas within the law and justice sector.
“I have personally visited border areas of Wutung, Bewani and Imonda and there are a lot of security concerns that need to be addressed.
“I call on the law and justice sector to immediately build a border station at Wutung and Daru with customs, police and Defence Force officers stationed there.”
Mr Peipul said there was no way to monitor the vast ocean borders and urged that part of the funds must be used to purchase patrol boats.
He said in the long term, there must be border posts along the PNG-Indonesia border from Wutung to Daru and also Bougainville.
Mr Peipul said police post should also be established on major highway trouble spots like Nipa, Southern Highlands province, and Yangoru in East Sepik province.
He said funding should be in-line with PNG’s 40-year strategic plans.