PNGDF recruitment questioned
Questions have been raised in Parliament over the recruitment process into the Papua New Guinea Defence Force [PNGDF], with Morobe Provincial member Rainbo Paita calling for greater transparency and fairness.
Mr Paita questioned Defence Minister Dr Billy Joseph on how recruits were selected, raising concerns about possible discrepancies and regional imbalance in the intake.
He asked whether the process was conducted online or manually, who managed it, and what criteria were used to select candidates. He also called on the Minister to table a full list of recruits, including their provinces, ages and details, to ensure transparency.
Mr Paita warned that any flaws in the process could affect national security and the integrity of the Defence Force.
In response, Dr Joseph confirmed that recruitment was conducted through an online system, managed by an independent human resources firm to ensure fairness and remove political influence.
He said applicants were shortlisted online before undergoing physical interviews, medical checks and other tests, with around 300 recruits selected and sent to Goldie Training Depot.
The Minister acknowledged concerns about regional balance, saying efforts were made to allocate quotas for each province. However, he noted that most applications came from major centres like Port Moresby and Lae.
Dr Joseph assured Parliament that future recruitment will involve all the provinces to ensure equal opportunities.
He also addressed concerns circulating on social media, including claims about the age of recruits, clarifying that one individual in question was a 24-year-old university student, not an older applicant as alleged.
The Minister further revealed that investigations are underway into unprofessional conduct by some officers at the training depot, including the use of inappropriate language in a viral video.
He assured the House that the recruitment list would be made public and asked the provincial member to submit further questions in writing to him.