By Newsday

Copyright newsday

IN COMBAT, what is camouflaged can suddenly spring into view. So it seems the many problems which soldiers face have come to light in recent days as the government and the opposition spar over the state of the Defence Force.

But at a time when military conflict is in the global ether, politics should not obscure the need for action. All should close ranks and deliver to our troops that which is required at this important moment.

Hardly surprising is the news that officers don’t have the tools needed to do their jobs. Last year, the PNM and UNC quarrelled over the downing of eight large Coast Guard vessels, which left our islands vulnerable.

Long-standing questions about operational capacity were deepened earlier this year when a mysterious pirogue sank after being interdicted and when a seaman vanished at sea during an operation.

But such matters appear to be the tip of the iceberg. Far more bread-and-butter issues have been raised this month. Literally.

Embarrassing is the picture that has been painted ever since Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles on September 17 alleged soldiers were not being fed properly on bases and were subsisting on spaghetti noodles.

“There is no rice, no meat,” she said.

But she hypocritically pointed fingers at Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge and Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander, who have been in office for all of five months.

Yet, Mr Sturge, in an unhelpful intervention of his own, in turn pointed fingers at Defence Force top brass, accusing officers of living “like lords.”

“They enjoy the finest victuals whilst the ordinary soldiers, particularly those in installations further away from Port of Spain, are required to pool their resources,” he said, without providing details. Predictably, senior officers denied such claims, saying they sometimes have to fork out their own money to provide proper meals for their charges.

Blame games aside, the uncontested reality, which appears to be a longstanding one, is grim.

Multiple are the reports of officers buying their own footwear, sometimes even sneakers, and their own bulletproof vests. The litany of problems includes poor accommodation, worn mattresses, and being given just one kit. Uniforms become torn and tattered, but soldiers are required to soldier on in them.

These kinds of issues are expected to a degree in any large entity. But depleted levels of funding over the years may well have exacerbated them.

According to budget documents, spending on personnel was cut last year by $61.9 million in the Regiment, $6.4 million in the Coast Guard and $1.1 million in the Air Guard. Such cuts should be reversed in the upcoming budget of the new UNC government, besides bolstered allocations in other areas like overtime payments, promotions and medical coverage.