Almost 2,000 people in Port Moresby came together to take part in the 13th annual Sir Anthony Siaguru Walk Against Corruption (SASWAC) and show peacefully their opposition to corruption and demand justice.
A total of 173 teams registered to take part in the Walk, supporting Transparency International PNG with almost K165,000, almost reaching the targeted fundraising amount of K200,000.
The theme for the 2019 Walk Against Corruption was Justice = Enforcement + Reporting. Justice is fundamentally the fairness in protecting the rights of an individual and punishing the wrongdoer. Through the theme, TIPNG emphasised that achieving justice was both an institutional and an individual responsibility.
“Citizens must take on the responsibility of being active partners with the law and justice sector by reporting corruption, being pro-active and learning the laws of our country to ensure they are upheld,” said TIPNG.
“This responsibility towards securing justice for wrongdoings is also equally that of law enforcement agencies that are mandated to carry out their duties with integrity so that the corrupt are held accountable for their actions.
“Businesses must practice integrity in their dealings, refusing to participate in practices tainted by corruption and speaking out and reporting such practices when encountered.
“Teaching children about justice and the law must begin in homes and schools. By instilling the values of good citizenship and active participation in upholding the law in future leaders, we can ensure a future where corruption is always met with justice.”
The Sir Anthony Siaguru Walk Against Corruption is TIPNG’s major fundraising and awareness event. TIPNG’s annual Walk has three aims: conduct greater awareness about corruption, provide citizens with an avenue to peacefully show their opposition to corruption and to raise much-needed funds for TIPNG to sustain its programs and operations as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).
The Walk was concurrently held in Lae on Saturday 8th June, 2019, under the theme: “I am the future”. The highlight for the Lae Walk was a writing competition held in line with the theme to encourage students and young people to play an active role in the shaping of a better future for themselves; a future free of corruption.
“TIPNG acknowledges the support of numerous organisations and individuals that have shown their support by donating resources towards the event, the registered teams and organisations and the volunteers who have signed up to assist during the event.”
