Anti-Corruption Help Desk Awareness

Transparency International PNG was recently in Lae to conduct awareness on its Anti-Corruption Help Desk.

The help desk is a community service that provides free and confidential legal advice to witnesses and victims of corruption.

TIPNG’s deputy director – communications, Yvonne Ngutlick, outlined that the Anti-Corruption Help Desk has three functions; it provides free legal advice and assistance on corruption complaints, it advocates on the different types of corruption issues and works with institutions to strengthen their capacities to process complaints.

“The Anti-Corruption Help Desk is actually a global program of Transparency International,” explained Ngutlick. Globally it’s called the Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre but here at TI Papua New Guinea, we call it the Anti-Corruption Help Desk because it’s easy for our people to understand.

“The Anti-Corruption Help Desk has been with the global movement since 2006 but here in PNG, it has been with TIPNG since 2010. So we’ve been running this Anti-Corruption Help Desk as a community service to assist and empower people to come forward and report corruption.”

Ngutlick said TIPNG visits provinces and sets up a mobile clinic, where lawyers can interact with citizens, in partnership with the Ombudsman Commission, the public solicitor’s office and the Royal PNG Constabulary.

“Transparency International is encouraging the public – if you have a corruption complaint or are seeking legal advice on a corruption complaint – please come and visit us.

“You can also call our toll free number on 180 6000.”

(The Transparency International PNG setup in Lae last week).

Author: 
Carmella Gware