Defence to beef up manpower to 10,000

 THE manpower ceiling of the PNG Defence Force will be increased to 10,000 over the next five years, Defence Minister Fabian Pok says.

He said that in a ministerial statement to Parliament yesterday when the 2011 annual report of the PNGDF was presented. 

The entire afternoon session of Parliament yesterday was taken up by debate on the statement.

Pok said Papua New Guinea faced many security challenges as it strived to evolve into a progressive and prosperous nation and take its place in the world. “Our government, realising that, has directed that the  manpower ceiling of the force to be increased to over 10,000 over the next five years from baseline manning achievement of 2000 in 2006,” he said,

“This is being pursued in earnest with an ongoing intense recruitment programme. Over the next five years, other force development priorities and programmes captured in the Defence White Paper will be incrementally implemented.

“This will require major injection of funds  and streamlined Force administration.”