Corruption

Marape made this call today on the floor of Parliament when responding to questions raised by MP for Moresby North East, John Kaupa.

He encouraged the people to file complaints with relevant authorities.

“Not all leaders are involved in corruption. Do not accused leaders on corruption and posted accusations on Facebook. If you have evidence, file your complaints with the police or Ombudsman Commission.

“Facebook is not a Police Station, ICAC or Ombudsman Commission.”

Sir J said, “Corruption was growing like Cancer that is eating away at the very fabric of our society and needed to be addressed at all levels.”

He commanded the Senior Executives and Heads of State Agencies to do their part in ridding the corruption that has now become deeply entrenched in the public service machinery and society as a whole.

With over 50 years of his life devoted to politics and public life Sir J has gone through enough trials and tribulations to know that PNG’s current state is glaringly worrying and needs to be immediately rectified.

Amendments to the Criminal Code to criminalise purported seers or ‘glasman’ and ‘glasmeri’, their activities, and those who engage their services in the perpetration of Sorcery Accused Related Violence (SARV), was proposed to Parliament by East Sepik Governor, Allan Bird and passed unanimously on voices.

This is one of the results from the work of the bi-partisan parliamentary committee from which the amended Criminal Code will now play a big role in addressing SARV in the prosecution or the fining of these seers.

The Pacific has been included in Transparency latest global corruption barometer with a survey of more than 6,000 people from more ten Pacific countries.

It revealed rampant corruption in a number of Pacific states, with the survey participants revealing cases of bribery, vote buying and sexual extortion are common experiences.

Regional advisor, Mariam Mathew, said more needs to be done but this first initial information is invaluable.

He made these remarks after one of the Department’s official vehicle was stolen.

“Last week, one of our official vehicles was stolen from our office carpark, and in no time, it was tinted and the official plate number was changed to a private plate number.

The vehicle was recovered with the help of police. Our own staff orchestrated this theft, we know who they are, and the police has arrested and charged some of them.

“More will be arrested in the coming days, charged and dismissed from employment”, added Minister Kramer.

Tanga was arrested by Gordons Minor Crime Unit today and brought to the Boroko Police Station.

He is being detained, and awaits decision from the police whether or not to release him on bail.

Last month, police obtained a search warrant to Tanga’s property over allegations he had misused office privileges to allegedly grant a land title for a piece of land that already had an existing title.

The land portion is 2353 Granville, and sits between Games Village and the CRC Bethel Church in Waigani.

Their approach would include placing people in strategic places and amending and creating laws and policies to enable the public services mechanism to flow freely.

At the recent launch of the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index Report by Transparency International PNG, Prime Minister James Marape stressed on the importance of the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Whistle Blowers Act.

The report is a comprehensive account of the election, based on observer teams led by Papua New Guinean experts who covered 69 electorates in all four regions with detailed studies of 44 electorates. 

The report concluded that elections in PNG continue to trend in the wrong direction.

The Minister and Imbonggu MP, Pila Niningi, said: “The Members of the Opposition have an obligation to provide a check and balance to every government decisions but it has to be done on the floor of Parliament, not homes and streets.

“The nationwide stop-work protest planned by the Members of the Opposition can be seen as an irresponsible action.

“This is childish. It’s like a barking dog without teeth.”

In a media statement, TIPNG is calling for the Government and APEC Authority to publicly disclose the total cost involved in the purchase of the Maserati and Bentley vehicles and to demonstrate their compliance with public procurement processes.

TIPNG said this in response to public condemnation of the purchase of 40 Maserati sports cars which were delivered last week and other luxury vehicles.