Work for development, Agwi tells soldiers

PNG Defence Force Commander Brig-Gen Francis Agwi has urged all servicemen and women to become partners in the development of the force.
Agwi said he would like to see more creativity and initiatives between unit and sub-unit commanders and their troops undertake self help activities.
This included area beautification and minor infrastructure repairs that emphasise self help projects in each unit.
The PNGDF held its annual end of year parade and the first for the commander’s term in office.
Agwi acknowledged the presence of bilateral partners, heads of government departments and statutory bodies, defence attaches and other distinguished guests.  
He also thanked the special contribution made to PNGDF by bilateral partners Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, France and the United Nations. 
“The number of PNGDF participants in bilateral training exercises, and long term schooling grew to about 10%, a sign of maturity in our bilateral relations,” he said.
He said this year was a challenging year with outstanding issues including:
* Writing of the defence white paper; 
* The Defence Act review;
* Setting up of the international obligation Bill committee; and
* The cumulative and defined fund issue with DFRB.
“I will issue a new vision and mission statement for the PNGDF to capture my strategies based on reconsolidation, reconstruction, redeployment and remonitoring.
“This year has been a year of reconsolidation to assess the state of affairs in our defence force.
“I must say from the outset that the current state of affairs in the force is not highly conducive to undertake multi-dimensional military operations or training.   
“The non-recruitment after retrenchment and the deteriorating state of some of our capabilities and infrastructures are incapacitating the force to effectively fulfil its constitutional roles and responsibilities,” Agwi said.
He said the current military structure was not doctrinally sound, and, therefore, not robust enough.
He added that PNGDF 2030 vision should now be guided by the PNG government’s Vision 2050 and the medium term development goals 2030 plan.
Agwi commended the officers, soldiers, sailors and airmen on parade.