I think that the way to stop corruption is to fear God.

All our political leaders, departmental heads, CEOs, and people in authority must turn away from their wrongdoings and see God as their superior and the source of solutions to all the problems that people encounter.

Gabriel, politicians resigning from office under duress or to evade just are different from voluntarily on moral principle/conscience.

Yes, there were several MPs who resigned to evade justice in the past. In the case of Sir Julius, he and other ministers were forced to resign under extreme duress which included mutiny. I don't categorise that under moral principle.

That's right Bernard, corruption can never be eliminated entirely but it can be brought under control or minimised and one way to that is to identify where the problems are and address them.

The biometric or electronic ID voting system and ICAC are milestones in that direction and we can hope for the best.

Yes Corney, we've got to look at positive side of things sometimes.

Thanks for all your feedback and yes, Bernard, I've got well thumbed copies of Machiavelli's books in my bookshelf and read them from time to time. They certainly indicate that humans haven't changed much since recorded history.

All that's needed to ensure we don't make the same mistakes our forebears made is to have the will and intellect to learn from history.

But....in the old parable, 'You can lead a horse to water. You can't make him drink.'

Corruption can never be eliminated entirely.

It is our nature as human beings to be egoistic.

Also all human beings are different intellectually.

Good day Barbara, Mike, Paul and Phil.

PNG has emerged out of tribalism into nationhood through the efforts of our Aussie friends and forefathers and yes, they did erred in some aspects.

Even there are errors after independence and as we continue to progress, we come to realise these past mistakes.

The idea is instead of continuing to embrace the mistakes or overlooking the stumbling blocks, appropriate changes must happen or else we will get nowhere.

Thanks for your constructive comments.

I don't think I asked 'what is the answer?'

Indeed, like you Paul, I'm convinced there isn't one simple answer, except perhaps time.

There are multiple answers and they need to be applied one by one.

I also share your regret about Australia pulling out too soon (or were we actually kicked out?).

The UN, Michael Somare and Gough Whitlam have to wear the blame for that one.

Until one can identify what the problem is one can’t begin to find a possible solution.

We often tend to think that what is happening in PNG is an isolated case peculiar to Melanesian culture. I suggest that is not the case. To blame the current impasse on Melanesian culture merely provides a convenient excuse why nothing can be done to change what almost everyone agrees is a problem.

The issue here is one of a developing society that apparently cannot make a quantum leap forward even though the rationale is available and recognised. It appears that all human societies must go through a ‘coming of age’ where smaller ethnic groups combine and start to become a nation. A nation requires a leader yet that leader must be able to exercise power to keep their position.

Once used to obtain a leadership position, the power to keep that ‘top dog’ position becomes ever more arbitrary and thus the leader becomes corrupted by the necessity to maintain power at all costs. This either leads to conquest, where external threats are used to justify domestic necessity or internal revolution where many start to wonder why they aren’t getting their perceived ‘slice of the cake’.

Ultimately, human societies have gone this circular methodology until some clear thinking and intelligent leaders emerge who have enough power to institute a better and more responsible system of government.

Almost every so called civilised society has gone through this process. The mistake we Australians made with PNG was to expect that it wouldn’t happen after we had taken the time to show PNG people how they could make a dramatic leap forward and copy the Australian Constitution and political system. We thought PNG would follow our example since we had learnt by trial and error what (usually) works and what doesn’t. Wrong!

Some of us now lament that we weren't allowed enough time to permit this cultural leap forward before we were dismissed in what was sometimes an imperious manner. What PNG is now left with is a dichotomy of culture. The many live in rural PNG and don’t have the benefits of a comprehensive education and all the necessities that go with it. There is a thin veneer of educated elite who then have to make a choice between opposing or joining those who have or want to usurp power for their own benefit.

What’s the answer, Phil asks? Maybe there isn’t an easy answer? Maybe that’s what PM O’Neill and his predecessors have already worked out. You have to deal with the hand you’re dealt.

Feelings of deprivation leads to all kinds of depravity: this is the way of electioneering in PNG.

Moral conscience may have less to do with it than we think.

When people feel that they are deprived of something that they are entitled to they don't mind who they vote into power to give them what they want, so they willingly turn a blind eye to their leaders depraved actions.

This deviant path is justified in the Melanesian conscience because in the end the society feels that so long as their collective needs are being addressed (e.g. school buildings, roads, medical aidposts), and so long as their leader plays his expected role (as a bigman (e.g. money for funerals, employing wantoks, spicing business deals, etcetera), any other crime is merely against the State.

This is the PNG political moral code.

It's as if people don't identify themselves with the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, but rather identify themselves only with their own tribal groups.

As others haves argued this attitude is acceptable in PNG mentality.

A good effort, Francis, at trying to explain the problem facing PNG when it comes to trying to get rid of the corruption in the government.

I have been immersing myself in the PNG social medai culture in an effort to try to understand what is going on.

This morning I decided that Eremas Wartoto is now looked on as a sort of Robin Hood or famous bushranger, stealing from the rich government to give a cheap airline for the poor.

In researching the medical kit supply contract I can see how it is an effort to give more local employment. The Malaysian Chinese have fitted into the Port Moresby scene and become very wealthy. They are good friends to so many. They employ so many people. They deserve to have the contract. Everything will be alright!

But it probably won't be alright. Whether O'Neill has himself been given much by them really isn't the main thing they have done. Whether he has corrupted the good man, Mr Malabag,is not so important.

The main thing is that they have also given a lot of money to the local community, for various other charities, local organisations etc, and still been able to make a good profit for themselves. One can only hope they take their own medicines in the future.

But it is the educated PNGian with a good moral compass who can see the corruption, who knows who is bribing who, who knows that BPP may cut corners and buy cheap dugs with possibly horrifying consequences. But they are the minority at the moment without the numbers or power to do anything.

We do know that there are good men and women in PNG who do have a good moral conscience. Whether they will one day be elected to the government is up to the people of PNG. When the people themselves start to have a good moral conscience then they will elect the right people and the corruption will start to disappear.

At the moment, PNG has to put up with the Ned Kelly types and the politicians who are easily bribed.