JUNE 2 2022
The Marape Government on return to office will combat corruption in high places with renewed vigor.
Prime Minister and Leader of the Pangu Pati Hon James Marape said this when announcing that among other cases, the UBS loan scandal especially will be one of his government’s main targets.
Mr Marape said the Pangu Pati and his government remained steadfast in strengthening Papua New Guinea’s anti-corruption drive.
Mr Marape said his government had already consolidated these efforts through passage of anti-corruption legislation including the ICAC Bill, Proceeds of Crime Bill, Whistle Blowers Act and others including dangerous drugs, family violence, National Pandemic Act and lots more.
“We will return to office with renewed vigour to recover the billions of Kina that were deceitfully and illegally siphoned out of the people’s Treasury by the previous government whom we had to boot out to save the nation from total collapse three years ago,” Mr Marape said.
“I made this commitment on the floor of Parliament when I presented the 15-volumed UBS Report and my Government will not stop there because this country was being thrown away to the dogs by the O’Neill government.
“Had the Pangu-led government turned a blind eye on this disaster, no one would have noticed the K3 billion belonging to the people of Papua New Guinea disappear without a trace.
“The international community was laughing at our gullibility in what was a whirlwind of abnormal and highly irregular transaction costing Papua New Guinea and its people billions in Dollars and Kina which just vaporized into thin air without any returns whatsoever.
“And now certain leaders have the audacity to attempt diverting the attention of voters away from the glaring daylight billion Kina free give-away in this totally ill-fated and disastrous K3 billion UBS loan by blaming us for the financial mess they caused, and which we are repairing.
“They should explain to the voters of Papua New Guinea why they meticulously planned to sell out the country in this manner and rob them of their billions.
“I want the voters and our supporters throughout Papua New Guinea to know that one of Pangu Pati’s main pillars of good governance is strengthening the country’s anti-corruption laws and introducing news ones that will ensure transparency and accountability in the management of the economy and delivery of services to the people.
“Let me assure our voters and supporters that when we get back into government, we will not rest until we recover what are rightfully the people’s millions from the doomed UBS loan.
“Our Government had the guts and the political will to pursue the UBS loan and set up the Commission of Inquiry which revealed the barefaced breaching of every possible financial legislation, procedures and processes in this highly irregular, ill-conceived and ill-advised exercise.
“Under that same unflagging resolve, we will pursue full recovery by all means the lost millions, and at the same time prosecute those recommended in the UBS report for their part in willfully robbing our country of its dignity, reputation and international financial standing.
“Papua New Guinea should not be a haven for unscrupulous leaders and their foreign friends to deprive its innocent citizens of hard earned cash from their natural resources.”
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