PNG legislators must – must – act against corruption
03 February 2019
FRANCIS NII
KUNDIAWA – Unsurprisingly, Papua New Guinea was rated as one of the most corrupt countries in the Pacific region and the world by international corruption watchdog Transparency International’s 2018 corruption index.
Instead of brushing aside this annual report as it has done in the past, the PNG government should take it seriously and do something to combat the pernicious disease of corruption.
PNG was ranked 138 out of 180 countries in the just published Corruption Perception Index.
In a ranking of 0 to 100 with 100 perceived as very clean and 0 as highly corrupt, PNG scored 28, making it to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
This rating is not a surprise because it is a common knowledge that corruption has dug its roots into this country from the office of the prime minister down to lower level public servants and civil society at large.
Corruption has evolved a complicated modus operandi that makes it difficult to track down for prosecution.
It has reached a stage where civil society has accepted it as a norm in governance and society. And it has become a major impediment to the development and prosperity of this country.
There is no longer any strong and reputable corruption busting or deterrence mechanism in operation since the highly successful Investigative Task Force Sweep was disbanded and the termination of members of the police crime and fraud unit by prime minister Peter O’Neill in revenge for his arrest warrant related to the Paul Paraka case.
In retaliation, O’Neill has effectively manipulated, emasculated and controlled the powers of the law enforcement agencies, namely the police, the public prosecutor’s office and the judiciary.
O’Neill’s track record on combating corruption in PNG has eroded to rock bottom and the rating by Transparency International reflects this reality.
There hasn’t any major corruption busting or prosecution under O’Neill although there have been a number of serious and widely publicised corruption allegations demanding his action.
Among them are the Manumanu land deal, the UBS loan deal, the Israeli generator deal, the missing of millions of kina of national identification registration funds and the Southern Highlands resource landowners’ royalty funds held by MRDC as trustee.
O’Neill has turned deaf ears and blind eyes to all those serious allegations. When the allegations are raised in the media or on the floor of parliament, he side-tracks and waters them down.
All the while, corruption escalates and law and order continues to break down.
There are recent reports of provincial education teaching appointment officers collecting bribes of K1,000 to award teaching position in schools.
District treasurers have claimed K40,000 to formulate acquittals for District Services Improvement Program funds.
The inconceivable thing about all this is that the very people paid by the government to perform those duties are turning around and practicing daylight robbery. It’s fraud in the highest degree but they know that they will get away with it because the government and public service leaders are themselves corrupt and weak.
Police and CIS officers who caused destruction to parliament house after APEC were pardoned and O’Neill himself undertook to foot the bill for repairs from his own pocket, a very bad precedent but he needs their loyalty – even if he has to buy it.
It has come to a point where honest members of both sides of parliament should put their heads together and do something to stop this disease called corruption.
If O’Neill is still too uncomfortable to recall Sam Koim to revive Task Force Sweep through an Act of Parliament, it should revisit the long-promised Independent Commission Against Corruption Bill, making the organisation totally independent and free of any political influence including the office of the prime minister.
The sooner the better for the good of Papua New Guinea both now and in future.
At last Peter O'Neill got a a kick in the ass and things are beginning to improve. His next destination is the dungeon.
Posted by: Francis Ni | 27 July 2019 at 10:08 AM
Do not hold your breath. The Auditor General stripped of its funding and its bank accounts emptied, the PAC stripped of its discretionary powers, ICAC stalled, fraud squad neutered and so it goes.
Posted by: Will Self | 04 February 2019 at 07:59 AM
It may appear that way Paul but I am not alone in the battle. The battle is gradually gaining momentum at the political level and if the victory doesn't come this year, hopefully it will come in 2022 when corruption will be tackled head on. Interesting happenings are going on in PNG right now, Paul.
Posted by: Francis Nii | 03 February 2019 at 08:17 PM
Francis, you are like a voice, crying aloud in the wilderness but it doesn't seem like you have anyone to look to for salvation.
Posted by: Paul Oates | 03 February 2019 at 02:59 PM