8 PNG Weekend, Friday, April 4, 2014 PNG WEEKEND centrespread www.postcourier.com.pg Reaffirmation within the PNGDF is the key secret that can guide both sides of the house to generate an effective workforce ... – Secretary John Porti Defence stands togethe VITAL is a multi-language project taking place in Milne Bay. Its primary purpose is to train and equip members of different language groups to do Bible translation in their own languages. By ALEXANDER NARA Defence Media Unit IT was two years ago, November 2, 2012. The sun setting behind Brigadier Hill at Two-Mile cast its last rays through the thick line of rain trees that stand alongside the football field just a short distance away from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force head office, Murray Barracks, in Port Moresby. Strong, sweet-smelling fragrance of crushed coconut oil and spurted yellow ginger mixed with tradition- al leaves filled the air as groups of elderly men and women swayed in a timely manner to the rattling of sea shells and the rhythmic beats of bamboos and kundus. Huge pigs grunted hungrily from under a long table that was filled with bananas, taros, other vegeta- bles, greens and freshly butchered pork. It was on that day that the Depart- ment of Defence stamped out its past differences in a true Melanesian way and exchanged symbolic items among themselves, witnessed by the PNGDF in a significant move to es- tablish a harmonious working rela- tionship as one solid defence organi- sation. The day that went down into the history books of the Defence Force. Just last Wednesday, sweaty de- partmental staff struggled under the hot afternoon sun to calm the squeal- ing pigs again that were tied up to stakes beside fresh bananas and oth- er vegetables as a recur of that day two years ago materialised outside the freshly cut lawn of the PNGDF Officers Mess. The squeals continued to abruptly disturb the speeches but unmistak- ably added humour to the unfolding traditional haus boi style of ceremo- ny that customarily reaffirmed the friendship and strong bond of rela- tionship between the two sides of the house. In the place of rattling sea shells and rhythmic traditional drums that captured the day back in 2012 were colourfully dressed young Bougain- ville girls who bent low and swayed skillfully to their own original is- land’s bamboo beats. Defence Secretary John Porti – who initiated the ceremony – confirmed that the event is to reiterate to new- ly appointed Commander PNGDF Brigadier Gilbert Toropo that the Defence Department is still in focus as the underlying workforce and life- time friend that swore to make sure PNGDF meet all its constitutionally mandated requirements. The ceremony also stood out as the department’s welcome gestures to Brigadier General Toropo as well as an appreciative goodbye to the former PNGDF Commander and current PNG High Commissioner to New Zealand His Excellency Francis Agwi. Secretary Porti said Defence is the only organisation which has two heads serving under the Ministry of Defence as stipulated under the De- fence Act where the PNGDF is head- ed by Brigadier General Toropo and the Department of Defence is headed by him. He said the Department of Defence is there for the PNGDF and work- place differences as well as the at- titude of working in isolation would always be the gravel on the pathway to a failed organisation. However, the trust and working re- lationship that prevailed in the last two years, including last week’s re- COMMANDER Toropo (right) His Excellency Francis Agwi (centre) and Secretary Porti posing for a photograph after exchanging gifts at the Officers Mess during the ceremony. Pictures: ALEXANDER NARA PNG now stands on the verge of high-end change and economic opportunity as its huge LNG project begins exporting its first shipment by mid this year. With it comes the complex security challenges that have emerged. This now calls for a need for the Defence Force to work together to build the force’s capabilities in defending PNG’s prosperity. The Defence Force has done just that ... to begin strengthening the in- house workings of the Defence organisation.
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8 PNG Weekend, Friday, April 4, 2014
PNG WEEKEND centrespread www.postcourier.com.pg
Reaffirmation within the PNGDF is the key secret that can guide both sides of the house to generate an effective workforce ...– Secretary John Porti
Defence stands together as band of brothersVITAL is a multi-language project taking place in Milne Bay. Its primary purpose is to train and equip members of different language groups to do Bible translation in their own languages.
By ALEXANDER NARADefence Media Unit
It was two years ago, November 2, 2012.
the sun setting behind Brigadier Hill at two-Mile cast its last rays through the thick line of rain trees that stand alongside the football field just a short distance away from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force head office, Murray Barracks, in Port Moresby.
Strong, sweet-smelling fragrance of crushed coconut oil and spurted yellow ginger mixed with tradition-al leaves filled the air as groups of elderly men and women swayed in a timely manner to the rattling of sea shells and the rhythmic beats of bamboos and kundus.
Huge pigs grunted hungrily from under a long table that was filled with bananas, taros, other vegeta-
bles, greens and freshly butchered pork.
It was on that day that the Depart-ment of Defence stamped out its past differences in a true Melanesian way and exchanged symbolic items among themselves, witnessed by the PNGDF in a significant move to es-tablish a harmonious working rela-tionship as one solid defence organi-sation.
the day that went down into the history books of the Defence Force.
Just last Wednesday, sweaty de-partmental staff struggled under the hot afternoon sun to calm the squeal-ing pigs again that were tied up to stakes beside fresh bananas and oth-er vegetables as a recur of that day two years ago materialised outside the freshly cut lawn of the PNGDF Officers Mess.
the squeals continued to abruptly disturb the speeches but unmistak-
ably added humour to the unfolding traditional haus boi style of ceremo-ny that customarily reaffirmed the friendship and strong bond of rela-tionship between the two sides of the house.
In the place of rattling sea shells and rhythmic traditional drums that captured the day back in 2012 were colourfully dressed young Bougain-ville girls who bent low and swayed skillfully to their own original is-land’s bamboo beats.
Defence Secretary John Porti – who initiated the ceremony – confirmed that the event is to reiterate to new-ly appointed Commander PNGDF Brigadier Gilbert toropo that the Defence Department is still in focus as the underlying workforce and life-time friend that swore to make sure PNGDF meet all its constitutionally mandated requirements.
the ceremony also stood out as the
department’s welcome gestures to Brigadier General toropo as well as an appreciative goodbye to the former PNGDF Commander and current PNG High Commissioner to New Zealand His Excellency Francis Agwi.
Secretary Porti said Defence is the only organisation which has two heads serving under the Ministry of Defence as stipulated under the De-fence Act where the PNGDF is head-ed by Brigadier General toropo and the Department of Defence is headed by him.
He said the Department of Defence is there for the PNGDF and work-place differences as well as the at-titude of working in isolation would always be the gravel on the pathway to a failed organisation.
However, the trust and working re-lationship that prevailed in the last two years, including last week’s re-
CoMMANDER Toropo (right) His Excellency Francis Agwi (centre) and Secretary Porti posing for a photograph after exchanging gifts at the officers Mess during the ceremony. Pictures: ALexAnder nArA
PNG now stands on the verge of high-end change and economic opportunity as its huge LNG project begins exporting its first shipment by mid this year. With it comes the complex security challenges that have emerged. This now calls for a need for the Defence Force to work together to build the force’s capabilities in defending PNG’s prosperity.The Defence Force has done just that ... to begin strengthening the in-house workings of the Defence organisation.
9PNG Weekend, Friday, April 4, 2014
PNG WEEKEND centrespread www.postcourier.com.pg
Defence stands together as band of brothers
affirmation within the organisation, is the key secret that can guide both sides of the house to generate a more effective and competitive workforce to meet the demands of the Govern-ment and the people of PNG.
Mr Porti highlighted that the De-fence organisation has been heav-ily criticised over many years in what had been described as internal administrative impasses that has widely generated negative images to the general public and stakeholders on its normal conduct.
Commander toropo also shared the same sentiments saying it is also one of his many priorities to establish unity within the PNGDF and linking it up with the Department to estab-lish one single Defence organisation to generate tangible change for the betterment of the Force.
He said PNG now stands at the verge of national change and eco-
nomic opportunity in the light of the huge LNG rollout and complex secu-rity challenges have and are emerg-ing that generated the crucial need to work together to build the Force capabilities in defending Papua New Guinea’s prosperity.
Secretary Porti, Commander toro-po and His Excellency Francis Agwi shared long private moments to-gether during the ceremony shaking hands, exchanging gifts and words as well as jokes and even jovially whispering into each other’s ears in an unexpected gesture clearly indi-cating the friendly relationship.
the non-stop squealing of the hun-gry pigs still tied to the stakes on the lawn drowned out the laughs and happy conversations as the clatter of plates around the long table full of food and the last reddish glow of the setting sun behind the Brigadier Hill signaled the end of the ceremony.
THE Department of Defence staff keeping close watch over one of the three pigs.
SECRETARy Porti tra-ditionally tying the head dress on Defence Force Commander Toropo, to show that he is the Chief of the PNG Defence Force.
THE two heads shaking hands. PIictures: ALexAnder nArA
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