Oro Governor Gary Juffa

He posed questions to the Minister for Finance & Planning, Rainbo Paita regarding the outcomes following the alleged hacking. He was informed by then Minister for Finance & Planning, John Pundari that the matter had been handed over to the National Intelligence Organization (NIO) to investigate.

Juffa said, “It’s been one year, some of us are still having these IFMS issues in our provinces and we would like to know, what has been done since the NIO has been tasked to investigate the alleged hacking of the IFMS system.

Governor Juffa read issues raised ranging from questionable resource, concession allocations, illegally issued special agricultural business leases and forest clearing authorities. The lack of free prior and informed consent requirements to illegal logging, tax evasion and human rights abusers.

He told the Speaker that the issues relating to logging and the like have collectively driven the environmental destruction, natural resource and biodiversity loss and have led to huge social economic losses for the rural communities.

Oro Governor Gary Juffa made these remarks at Biru Gaol outside Popondetta on Independence Day, recently.

“We pay tribute to our fathers and forefathers for bringing us this far and it’s now time for us to take lead and move this nation forward to prosperity despite the challenges.

“We must reflect on the last 46 years and we must look at how we can continue to improve as individuals, province and nation and contribute meaningfully to the rest of the world,” he said.

The tabled reports allege the existence of collusion between the alleged syndicate and Labour Department officials to enter the country on illegal work permits.

Juffa first raised the issue with Labour Minister, Benjamin Poponawa, in Parliament last week, in which the Minister denied having any knowledge of the syndicate and said he would instruct the department to look into it.

“Prime Minister are you aware that a 21-year-old, Iranian Refugee who made his way from Manus Asylum Centre to Fiji, and seeking asylum,” Oro Governor Gary Juffa asked during Question Time.   

“What actions is taken to conduct an investigation and highlight the security breaches in this instances, what type of passport he used, I was informed that it was a Papua New Guinean passport.

“The Government (must develop a) National Disaster Policy, Provincial Disaster Mitigation Policy and Provincial Disaster Coordination Mechanism which the country does not have in place,” Juffa asked in Parliament today.

“Can we have some clarification, who is in charge when there is a natural disaster, is it the Department of Provincial & Local Government Affairs or is it the Prime Minister’s Office?”

In a video post on Facebook, Juffa said if the Government was serious about cancelling SABLs then they must do so by physically shutting down illegal logging operations.

“Now the Government is saying it’s going to cancel the SABLs, I’m not convinced, I’m cynical,” says Juffa. “I want to see it really happen.

ADB Country Director Marcelo J. Minc made those remarks in response to comments made by Oro Governor Gary Juffa.

Minc said ADB’s development strategy and program are consistent with the government’s Development Strategic Plan 2010-2030, the National Strategy for Responsible Sustainable Development, and the country’s medium-term development plans.

He made this comments following media reports that Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch will get a $US 300 million (K928 million) loan from ADB to support the National Budget.      

“My concern is this, the ADB in Papua New Guinea appears to ignore the facts, there are Papua New Guinea firms that can deliver the projects,” Governor Juffa told Loop PNG.

He said it does not make sense when the National Government gets the loan but ADB continue to influence the awarding of contracts to projects in the country especially to foreign firms.