Church leader blames PNGDF

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Monday July 22nd, 2013

 A CHURCH leader has blamed the disciplinary forces for the breakdown in law and order in PNG.

Chairman of the Church Medical Services Wallace Kintak said in a statement that members of the disciplinary forces had abused their responsibilities.

“We have observed that the very agencies that are supposed to uphold and enforce laws are not doing their mandated responsibility or even breaking the very law that they are supposed to uphold,” Kintak said.

“For the defence force to come and attack the future health workers and health care facilities is worrisome. It poses a major concern to church medical services. 

“This behaviour portrays a bad image of our country and raises some serious questions by our citizens.

“Where is the root cause? Is it because successive governments have politicised and neglected the disciplinary forces which are bearing its fruits today?

“It appears that there is a total collapse in command and control of the disciplinary forces.

“We urge the Government to address issues affecting the command, control structure and disciplinary issues of PNG Defence Force, police and Correctional Services.” 

Kintak said the disciplinary process had eroded over these years which had resulted in the unruly behaviour among its members.

“In other countries when there is a major jail break or a defence force soldiers go berserk, the commander gets the boot but here in this country we seem to be very tolerant and it is the citizens who are suffering,” he said. 

“Politicians condemned the incident but it is not the first time. What we need is action.”