Bryan Kramer

Madang district office funds safe

Speaking out about the current situation of the District Office and Administration, Albert Ului the Madang District Chief Executive Officer, is advising the general populace of the district that although the member has been dismissed, he has not taken the money or the office away with him.

He calls out to assure the people that everything is here and that once everything is cleared, normal operations and development will continue.

Tribunal recommends Kramer's dismissal

Now, the leadership tribunal is making an example of the anti-corruption advocate by recommending he be dismissed from office. The decision was handed down this morning.

Kramer was found guilty of seven of 13 misconduct allegations in February this year.

The Tribunal also recommended that Kramer be fined K10,000 for the five other counts of misconduct.

ACJ Announce Leadership Tribunal For Kramer

The appointment follows a request made by  the Public Prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin to the Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika on 15 July 2022, under Section 27 of the Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership.

The Tribunal will be chaired by Judge, Justice  Lawrence Kangwia and assisted by Principal Magistrate, Josephine Nidue and Senior Provincial Magistrate Edward Komia.

Justice Kandakasi said the tribunal will commence its enquiry on a date and time to be fixed by the  Tribunal.

Sympathies offered to Sir Peter’s family

Kramer said he was contacted by Sir Peter’s son, Andrew Barter, who confirmed that his father, aged 82, had passed away at 7am today (22nd June 2022) at the Cairns Hospital in Australia.

“Sir Peter travelled to Brisbane a month ago for urgent medical treatment after becoming very ill in Madang. He had a rare terminal heart condition that developed into an internal infection,” Kramer said.

CAC Recommences Hearings

“The recommencing of the CAC hearings is encouraging after the last one was held in September 2019. The Committee was unable to meet since then due to legislative and political factors affecting the status of the CAC members.

“This issue has been resolved and the permanent members of the Committee were sworn in by the Head of State at the Government House on 7th and 21st April,” said Kramer.

Gov’t To Introduce Unexplained Wealth Bill

Minister for Justice, Bryan Kramer said Prime Minister, James Marape has directed that these changes be made and brought before Parliament to be passed.

 

Minister Kramer said the bill is part of the Government’s effort to curb corruption.

 “The Unexplained Wealth provisions when passed under the Proceeds of Crime Act will be used against public officials whose wealth exceeds that which cannot be explained by their legitimate income.”

 

PNG's Highest Ranking In A Decade

The conference came after Transparency International  PNG (TIPNG) launched its 2021 report on how PNG has performed in the global community and significantly improving in it’s stance against corruption in the country.

PNG had a made a significant move in its placing by moving 18 places up, from 142 in 2020 to rank 124 out of 180 countries by 2021. This showed a 15 percent increase from where the country initially was to where it is now.

“The jump in PNG's score from 27 to 31, demonstrates the reforms implemented by the Marape government are working.

Kramer: Legislative Reforms Working

He said the jump in PNG’s score from 27 to 31 demonstrates that the reforms implemented by the Government are working.

PNG is now ranked 124 out of 180 countries in the world, 100 being the very clean and zero highly corrupt. In 2020, the country was sitting at 142 out of 180 corrupt countries in the world.

“PNG hit the lowest scores between 2011 and 2015, when the O’Neill Government took out country backwards and ran roughshod over our ethics and human rights.

Government To Repeal Death Penalty

Minister for Justice, Bryan Kramer, said the cabinet has made the decision to repeal the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment without parole.

“The history of the death penalty in PNG has been problematic. The death penalty was first introduced in the territory of Papua in 1907 and last execution was carried out in 1954.

“It was later abolished in 1974 prior to independence in 1975. Despite being reintroduced in 1991, the death penalty has never been properly implemented,” he said.  

Kramer Presents Five Bills

The other Bills include:

  • Attorney General Act 1989
  • Claims By and Against the State Act 1996
  • Criminal Code Act
  • Wrongs (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act.

The Bill for an Act to amend the Family Protection Act 2013 addresses key areas of improvement noted by relevant entities in the referral process in assisting survivors of domestic violence, including law enforcement authorities.