No need for army call-out, says Namah

The National Main Stories

THE coronavirus pandemic is not a law and order issue but a public health issue, so there is no need for the prime minister to be calling out the PNG Defence Force to provide security, says Opposition Leader Belden Namah.
Namah said a military call-out was only done when a situation was totally out of control and could not be handled by the police force.
“This happens especially in an escalating law and order situation like civil unrest, tribal fights and civil war,” Namah said.
“The other situation that would warrant a call-out would be where there is a serious natural disaster costing lives and damage to properties.
“It is of grave concern that placing soldiers with weapons on the streets of Port Moresby is all about Marape’s desperate attempt to hold on to power.
“If this is the case, the prime minister is playing with fire, that he does not understand and has no way to control.”
Marape told The National that Namah “does not know what he is talking about.”
“If he cares to listen to everyone else, especially medical professionals on the community transmission situation here in NCD, he would understand that the military participation is just similar to us putting more police personnel and getting churches and youths and public servants in the city to assist in awareness and non-clinical containment strategies.”

8 comments

  • Efficient use of the army has helped alleviate the coronavirus situation overseas, particularly in respect of quarantining.
    Unfortunately the PNG army is everything but efficient, so their deployment will inevitably end in failure.

  • PNGDF to assist police personnel in Covid-19 related crowd control; Is is a common sense or a nonsense?

  • Government everywhere in the world today are using army to assist in dealing with COVID-19 pandemic measures and PNG is no different. What is the narrow minded opposition leader trying to say here? PMJM is right – “Beldan Namah doesn’t know what he is taking about here”.
    If the opposition leader has some better solutions to offer than should open his mouth, otherwise the opposition leader should hide his face in shame. Got nothing worthy to offer than run to the Courts forever….seem to be his only solution.

  • This is a good opportunity for the PNGDF to show what they are capable of doing with whatever limited resources they may have at their disposal.
    If they fail, due to the lack of resources they have, then this would be an eye opener for our Govt to address areas that need addressing. A good example is the PNGDF Air Transport Wing, with nothing to show, even after 45 years.
    Lets all give our support to OUR Security Forces and OUR Govt, regardless.

  • When the Government is trying to speed up Health issues of nation importance for its citizen to save lives, the opposition is always ankle taping.
    What is wrong with our leaders.??

  • my opinion, i think is right by says ‘here is no need for the prime minister to be calling out the PNG Defences Force to provide security, why, because this is not an law order problem this is a serious natural disaster costing lives so goverment must put close eye on testing kit and order new modern labe for testing COVID 19 rather spending more fund in securities and all that not important.

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