A review that was recently released by Transparency International on 20 unresolved national issues from the past 10 years, highlights the media’s role in failing to do follow ups with relevant authorities.
President of the PNG Media Council, Alexander Rheeney, made this comment at the launch of the report this week.
He assisted Transparency International compile the report, as a private citizen, and said the media failed to hold leaders accountable for the outstanding issues, simply by failing to do follow up stories.
The review of 20 cases spans from 2007 to 2017, covering both the Somare and O’Neill regime.
It ranges from outstanding issues from the 2007 Central City project at Bautama, to the Boroko 5-star casino of early 2008, to the UPNG Student shooting of June last year, up to the present day issue of the Manumanu Land deal.
Rheeney said the emphasis now must be for newsrooms to look at the outstanding issues and bring them back to the spot light.
The review ‘Lest We Forget’, intends to act as a reminder for the new government, to look at those outstanding cases.
It covers unresolved cases covering the key areas of Risky State Investments, State sanctioned land grabs, State agencies lacking accountability, state abuse of assets and funds, state laxness of critical bills and state travesty of justice.