Belden Namah says he's concerned over slow pace of justice
01 December 2013
KEITH JACKSON
PAPUA NEW GUINEA’S OPPOSITION LEADER Belden Namah yesterday expressed concern over the “sluggishness of justice” in the matter of the K71.8 million payout to Paraka Lawyers which led to its principal, Paul Paraka, being arrested and charged.
“His co-conspirators have been allowed to get off scot-free,” Mr Namah said in a press statement. “Paraka would never have received K71.8 million without the highest political consent. [He is] small fry compared to the big fish who have assisted in the processing of the payment.
“It is inconceivable to think that such a large appropriation of the people’s money would have been possible without approval from the Prime Minister, Minister for Treasury and Minister for Finance.”
Mr Namah, who claims to have “taken up the fight against corruption”, says Papua New Guinea is at the crossroads.
“This corrupt government has just handed down a record K15 billion budget whilst at the same time slashing the Justice Department’s recurrent budget by K52 million.”
Mr Namah also acknowledged a recent court ruling that lifted the injunction preventing the publication of the Finance Inquiry Report. He has called for speedy prosecution of those involved in the theft of hundreds of millions of kina of “the people’s money”.
You would also hope that Peter O'Neill might be sumpsimutive too.
Unfortunately your average Papua New Guinean politician does not seem to think that there is anything wrong with their past questionable deals and ripping off of their countrymen and countrywomen.
In fact, I get the impression that they think they were very smart for doing it and should be celebrated for it. Look at me, I'm rolling in kina, aren't I great!
Both Peter O'Neill and Belden Namah need to come clean on their past indiscretions. They will be amazed at the public's tolerance and maybe even respected for it.
Both of them should repent now, before it's too late.
Posted by: Phil Fitzpatrick | 01 December 2013 at 04:47 PM
Phil - Recently whilst doing a rather tricky crossword puzzle, I acquired a rather unusual word which seems to sum up the psyche of the gentleman mentioned.
The word is- Mumpsimus which according to the dictionary is defined s follows:
1. adherence to or persistence in an erroneous use of language, memorization, practice, belief, etc., out of habit or obstinacy (opposed to symposiums ).
2. a person who persists in a mistaken expression or practice (opposed to symposiums ).
Origin: 1520–30; from a story, which perhaps originated with Erasmus, of an illiterate priest who said mumpsimus rather than sūmpsimus (1st plural perfect indicative of Latin sūmere to pick up; see consume) while reciting the liturgy, and refused to change the word when corrected
So let's hope that the gentleman’s previous malady has now been cured and he now practises sumpsimus.
Posted by: Harry Topham | 01 December 2013 at 03:56 PM
The issue - that is, the authorisation of the K8 million plus payment to Paraka Lawyers - raised by Belden Nama is one that must be investigated.
The PM Peter O'Neill and Finance Minister Marabe's evasive rhetoric is the concern of many people including the social media group.
Until an investigation is done, the two men will carry the black mark with them.
Police have passed the buck to Task Force Sweep and the ball is in TFS's court. This case will be the test of TFS's impartiality.
Posted by: Francis S Nii | 01 December 2013 at 02:02 PM
He's certainly an interesting man Bob.
He went to jail over the Sandline affair - that must be a plus in his favour.
He has very astutely realised the power of social media and the bias of printed media.
He likes to gamble and he can't hold his liquor and it gets him into trouble.
The thing that bothers me is the question of where he acquired his wealth. Conventional wisdom has it that he was instrumental in clear felling a large area of the Sepik and took most of the profits himself.
While destroying the environment is reprehensible I don't think its illegal in this case. There might be some consolation if the area is used for agricultural purposes, which apparently will be the case. And, of course, we in Australia are in no position to be critical about clearing forest.
Come clean about the wealth, get off the grog, lose a bit of weight, stop visiting casinos, stop bragging about his money and show a bit of humbleness, support the Crocodile Prize, and he's a viable alternative leader.
Posted by: Phil Fitzpatrick | 01 December 2013 at 01:06 PM
I'm still on the fence about Belden Namah, but prepared to drop one side or the other. There's lots of gossip but I'd like to know the facts. Where does he stand?
__________
The best profile of the man I've read was this one by Sil Bolkin about a year ago - KJ
http://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2012/12/belden-namahs-prison-dreams-only-a-couple-of-steps-to-go.html
Posted by: Bob Cleland | 01 December 2013 at 09:39 AM
Despite the context this is a very encouraging article for Papua New Guinea.
It seems, in Belden Namah, that a real opposition now exists in the parliament.
He recently lost a member, who switched sides to the government, but perhaps it is best that the opportunists leave anyway.
He now has a hard core of members and they can build from that base to become very effective if they so desire.
Posted by: Phil Fitzpatrick | 01 December 2013 at 08:36 AM
If the matter is proven then the evidence of who got what and when should be easily traceable through the associated paper trails as after all the monies received would have been by bank transfer not in cash in a paper bag?
As the gentleman concerned was probably nothing more than a facilator and middleman who would have been obliged to give other interested parties their cut of the loot and subsequent disbusements made would, one would think, be easily traceable?
Posted by: Harry Topham | 01 December 2013 at 08:14 AM