National security concern

OPPOSITION Leader Belden Namah is urging the Government to ensure the country’s national security is not compromised by foreign interests operating as advisers within strategic Government agencies.
Namah singled out Australian advisers in the offices of the Commander of the PNG Defence Force, the Commissioner of Police, the departments of Treasury, National Planning and Monitoring and Finance and the National Statistics Office.
In a statement last Thursday, he said: “While we treasure the traditional and enduring ties we have with Australia, we must remind ourselves and our bilateral and multilateral partners must know that we are also a sovereign independent State.
“We must closely guard our national security, our financial security and our information systems.
“State secrets pertaining to our national security, financial security and national statistics and any other such information must always be handled by nationals with the highest security clearances and sworn to secrecy.”