Vox Populi Appeal to Commander- in- Chief

Dear Madam President,

As Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, you would be greatly concerned about the decline in their morale, particularly in the lower ranks (PBOR- personnel below officer rank) and middle level officer ranks upto Colonel (and equivalent). They are the backbone of the Defence Forces and bear the brunt of the worst conditions.

The recent 6th CPC has ignored the case placed before it by the Services HQ to undo and alleviate the many years of financial hardship suffered by the Armed Forces, particularly that endured by the PBOR and junior and middle level officers upto the rank of Colonel (and equivalent).

The CPC recommendations in its Report has many anomalies and is a total ‘muddle' as far as the Defence Forces are concerned. They applied a ‘management approach’ rather than a ’leadership approach’ in their thinking because of a reliance on members with a management background, but no ‘leadership’ experience. The members of the CPC did not know even the basics of how to lead men and women into battle in the most fearful and hazardous conditions and to even lay down their lives.

The haemorrhage of middle level officers through chosen premature retirement and the disincentive that this provides for entry of the best candidates in to the Officer training academies will lead to a rapid further decline in military morale, leadership, efficiency and fighting capability.

As Head of State this will cause you much concern and I trust that you will direct your PM and Government to reconsider the representation by the Service Chiefs, more thoughtfully.

Yours faithfully

Col Maurice Abel (Retd)

Comments: The Service Chiefs are under immense and intense pressure of the Government to toe the official line. The bureaucracy exploits the individual weaknesses of Higher Command of the Defence Forces. RM personal intervention alone will yield results. The present ratio of highest paid to lowest (COAS: PBOR) is almost 10:1, this ratio needs to be prudently tailored to 5:1, else the morale of troops will continue to deteriorate.