Pay homage to Motuans, troops told

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
OFFICERS of the First Battalion Royal Pacific Island Regiment at Taurama Barracks have been urged to pay homage to the traditional owners of the land.
Chief of force preparations Colonel Siale Diro said during the commanding officers’ beginning-of-the-year parade on Friday in Port Moresby that the original owners of the land at the Taurama Barracks were the Motuan people.
“We must not forget to pay respect and homage to the great Motuan people every time we excel in our duties as they were the first ones to give up their land so that we could have our base here,” he said.
Diro said officers of the Second Battalion Royal Pacific Island Regiment in East Sepik honoured the people of the province who gave up their land for the base at Moem Barracks.
Diro said Taurama Barracks was the home of the first battalion.
“It is from this land and barracks that we sent observers to Africa, Samoa and South America,” he said.
“It is through this land that we brought back our men from operations and we laid many of them to rest here for their role of honour.
“Therefore, we must always honour and pay homage to the traditional landowners of this land.”
Taurama Barracks commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Boniface Aruma noted that the anniversary celebration would be an in-house event on March 11.