By Taralu Hamule PNG Government must immediately look into the Dual Salary System in PNG and Completely BAN that. The Dual Salary System arrangement in PNG was the product of the colonialism under Australian administration (PNG was formerly a territory of Australia and administered directly from Australia) but it continued to be accepted by all successive governments up until today. As a PNG citizen, it’s very annoying and frustrated to note that the dual Salary policy stipulates two types of salary or Contracts – One for the expatriate workers (usually a foreigner from another country and not a PNG citizen) and another for the local workers (PNG Citizens). TWENTY-TWO probationary soldiers and five senior military officers from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force have been referred to the police for investigations into allegations of bribery during recruitment, PNG Defence Force deputy chief Captain (Navy) Phillip Polewara says. “PNGDF chief Major-General Gilbert Toropo has directed that the suspected soldiers and senior officers must be referred to Boroko police station detectives to be investigated for allegations of using forged education certificates, bribery, malpractices and non-compliance during the recruitment process in the PNGDF,” he said. A TOTAL of K22.7 million intended for agricultural projects in districts was instead paid out to companies and employees of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL), according to Minister John Simon. “The money is gone. I cannot retrieve any,” he said. “The money amounting to K24mil was to be allocated as the first tranche-disbursement list through the public investment programme implementation schedule. “Under the schedule, seven districts and two provinces were to receive the funding through their treasury offices. “However, that K24mil was disbursed to various companies, cash advances, clothes and electrical equipment for staff of DAL.” In total, 101 companies in three provinces received cheques for various items. He denied that MPs had received the money. “The remittance list was only done in May this year,” he said. ALLEGATIONS of misappropriation of about K22.7 million by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) during the political impasse is being investigated, National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate director Chief Supt Mathew Damaru says.
“Both Agriculture Minister John Simon and his secretary Daniel Kombuk have turned against each other and have filed conflicting complaints to us to investigate each other for allegedly diverting funds for Government MPs in the Loloata camp during last November’s political impasse,” Chief Supt Damaru said. He said the impasse was between Prime Minister James Marape and Opposition Leader Belden Namah and the funds were meant for important agricultural projects. “So we are now conducting investigation into both conflicting complaints carefully so that we will achieve a transparent outcome and not just a political witch hunt,” he said. With the resignation of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill after his seven-year tenure, many citizens have hailed the resulting appointment of the Marape-Basil government as an opportunity to start fresh.
A staggering US$7.7 billion mountain of debt and an inefficient and incredibly costly public service has forced the new government to implement a number of unpopular, yet arguably more fiscally responsible initiatives. This includes a 50 per cent reduction in O’Neill-era popular subsidies for primary education, with potential savings directed towards university education. While there has been much debate about new measures to address national debt, little has been done about the waste created by corruption at virtually every level of society in Papua New Guinea. • A history of corruption in Papua New Guinea A MAGISTRATE yesterday dismissed three criminal charges against former Goroka MP Bire Kimisopa and discharged him of bail obligations because there was insufficient evidence to make out a prima-facie case.
Magistrate Paul Nii in the Waigani Committal Court ordered that Kimisopa’s bail of K1,500 be refunded. The charges related to him being chairman of the Goroka development authority and allegedly facilitating a payment of K517,000 between Jan 3 and April 30, 2017, to one of his staff for feasibility studies and submission of project proposals for setting up a university centre at the Kabiufa Adventist Secondary School. “For the first charge of official corruption, there is insufficient evidence to commit the defendant to stand trial in the National Court as police evidence does not meet all the elements of the charge,” Magistrate Nii said. “For the second charge of misappropriation, since police evidence does not meet all the elements of the charge, I find that there is insufficient evidence to commit the defendant. Commentary by Bonny Kaiyo Fast rewind. Finance Minister James Marape vs Lawyer John Napu. The current Prime Minister is saying something else on UBS Loan deal now?[7 years earlier Marape had different tone on UBS loan] Read on: Marape: Napu is misleading people (The National, Friday 6th June 2014) ''FINANCE Minister James Marape said he was shocked to read suggestions made by lawyer John Napu against the K3 billion UBS loan. Napu said Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch and Acting Treasury Secretary Dairi Vele could be in breach of the Leadership Code by defying instructions of the Ombudsman Commission not to allow loan repayments to go ahead. Napu, who represented sacked Treasurer Don Polye in a dismissed USB loan case against the Government, said the best option for the three men and Papua New Guinea was to cancel the loan. Marape yesterday rubbished the suggestions. “I am shocked by the comments made by John Napu,” Marape said. “He does not know what he is talking about when it comes to this deal with the Oil Search share. “More importantly it is not a new loan, it has never been a new loan. It is simply replacing another loan. “He should get it into his head that this loan is replacing the IPIC loan, which we had for over many years to finance our participation in the LNG project “We have not made any mistake or any error in our investment, it is only idiotic that people like John Napu who lacks commercial experience and knowledge and continue misleading our people on what the real benefits of these projects include.” – one of our most important projects to the country and delivering huge benefits to the people of PNG and Government. https://www.thenational.com.pg/marape-napu-is-misleading.../ ATM Security Guards Colluding with Petty Thieves Trying To Rob Customers At Lae Market ATM20/6/2021
By: Henry Esara I witnessed an incident today Sunday 13th June 2021 at Bsp Atm - Lae Main Market. I walked into atm lobby around 10am today and realised that no one was using the atm machine ,a fellow was loitering few metres away from the security guard. As soon as I entered atm door that loitering fellow walked past me, headed straight to a machine and started inserting card into the machine. When I turned around, I saw security guard making eye contact with two other fellows who appeared from no where and were right behind me. I realized that something was not right and walked out of the atm lobby back to my vehicle. PNG LEADING lawyer Greg Sheppard faces four more misappropriation and money laundering charges, bringing to eight the number of charges against him since investigations started into the Community Mine Continuation Agreement (CMCA).Police Commissioner David Manning confirmed the new charges were laid against the 65-year-old from Perth, Western Australia, on Wednesday by members of the Special Police Forensic Criminal Investigation Team (SPFCIT). “He was taken to the Boroko police station, interviewed and charged with two counts of misappropriation and another two counts of money laundering in relation to his direct involvement with the transfer of funds amounting to K52 million that was part of K268 million that was unlawfully withdrawn from the Western Province People’s Dividends Trust Account (WPPDTA),” Papua New Guinea's National Court on May 13 dismissed Dei MP and Immigration and Border Security Minister Westley Nukundj’s appeal against a district court decision that found him guilty of committing adultery in 2017, The National reports. Justice Nicholas Miviri dismissed the appeal on grounds that Nukundj failed to follow proper processes of the appeal. “Accordingly, the court invokes and dismisses this appeal in its entirety forthwith. Cost will follow the event forthwith,” he said. The matter originates from 2016 and an appeal was filed a year later. The application for the appeal’s dismissal was made on April 22 by the respondent, after about five years of court proceedings. Justice Miviri said it was inordinate for the hand of justice to be denied a litigant in person. |
PNG Corruption WatchOn this page, all corruption practices are aired here. Please send in any information you think is/are deemed Corrupt practices. Your name will be withheld during publication. Email: pngfacts(at)gmail(dot)com |