PNGDF Engineering Battalion

Letters

PRIME Minister James Marape’s call to utilise the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) Engineer Battalion (ENGR BN) in his endeavour to develop PNG is a worthwhile call, however, with caution.
A former digger myself , I’ve been around for 27 and half years with the Army and retired early 2000.
Spent almost 14 years with ENGR BN and travelled the country on civic action projects, and other military call out duties and met amazing people and visited and seen strange and exciting places, while posted to the PNGDF’s premier unit at that time.
Civic action projects (CAP) were never meant to build major highways in those days.
However we did contribute our share of nation building under the command of fine military officers such as colonel David Takendu, late Colonel Ben Norrie, colonel Joe Fabila and many others.
A dedicated body of men comprising of outstanding unit commanders and 2ICs (second in command), company sergeant majors in the likes of warrant offficer2 Martin Bandi and Luke Nokwan to the last digger, a field engineer, that was my engineer battalion.
A maintainer myself, it was an experience of a lifetime.
The primary task of CAPs that I participated included building feeder roads in parts of the country including Bewani to Osima, the border region of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, West Sepik.
In Central, the Keapara road project.
In New Ireland, feeder road construction from Boluminski Highway near Konos to Lelet plateau.
Other road project was cutting down rain forest and patching of mosquito invested swamps to enable access road to Siri-Siri in Rabaraba in bay to give hope to the coffee growers there to market their produce.
There were other community-based projects within the same period (1980-1990) taking place simultaneously.
Although it is history, the point here is politicians make a lot of noise and get the praise and glory and the rest, however when the actual project gets off the ground the back up and support always were lacking in those days.
Commanders and planners were always left wondering and scratching their heads and wondered what was going on when call out for assistance was made there seem to be no answers.
At times the projects were incomplete and valuable equipment and machinery were left behind to rot due to no funding to bring them back to base workshop for repairs.
Field allowances owed to troops and support staff were never paid on time. Fuel for the aircrafts for re-supply was always a problem, important and urgent medications were not delivered when needed.
Commutations between project site and headquarters on many occasions was difficult and in effective.
As long as the resources and support are there, there is no doubt in my mind that current diggers will throw everything they have to answer the call of duty.
The army is in fact the cheapest labour and during peace time the fighting man can be put in good use. It can be a valuable experience for many.
The relevant authorities should ensure that the diggers are supported (including payment of their field allowances on time) provide them with the correct protective wear and uniforms, rations, fuel, medicals and effective communication to stay contact with families and friends.
With that support the project should be completed on time, and on budget to the satisfaction of all, particularly the stakeholders.

SGT Mura T (Retired)
Brisbane,
Australia