Sailors lauded on return from naval exercise

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
PNG Navy sailors are the best although the ships they use may be old, says Colonel Siale Diro.
He welcomed back home the naval vessels HMPNG Seeadler and HMPNG Moresby which took part in a two-week naval exercise in Australia last month.
He said they managed to win a medal.
“For a navy of our size and the equipment that we have, they have performed above and beyond expectation,” Diro said.
The two boats won the minor war vessel concentration period shield after performing very well in the exercise they participated in.
Diro said the exercise was a long-standing regional activity that the PNG navy had been part of since 1994.
He said the Kakadu exercise, organised by the Australian Navy and held in Darwin, involved 17 countries.
He said such exercises were important as they gave the country’s naval officers an opportunity to strengthen relationships with their colleagues in other countries.
“These relationship is critical to our national security,” Diro said.
The ships with about 30 crews each attended the exercise from Sept 12 to Sept 22.
They arrived in Port Moresby last Thursday.
“Although our ships and equipment may be old and outdated, our country has some of the world’s best sailors,” Diro said.