Thursday January 28th 2021
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape says the Government is “absolutely committed” to fight corruption.
This is evident by passage of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Bill last November 12, he said.
Prime Minister Marape said this at the launching of Transparency International PNG’s (TIPNG) 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in Port Moresby before Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, Police Minister Hon. William Onglo, Secretary for Prime Minister and National Executive Council Amb. Ivan Pomaleu, Police Commissioner Mike Manning, TIPNG Chair Peter Aitsi and other TIPNG stakeholders.
In the 2020 CPI report, TIPNG highlighted that PNG scored 27 out of 100, with a ranking of 142 out of 180 countries assessed.
“I was here last year to signal to Transparency International and all agencies of our country who are contributing to fight corruption, that Government is absolutely committed (to fighting corruption),” he said.
“In fact, I remained resolved to the statement I made to the nation on May 30, 2019.
“If someone wants to study what we, under my leadership, have to do for our country, that statement has it all.
“In the statement, there was a commitment made for us to deliver ICAC, Whistleblowers’ Act and all supporting legislation to ensure that fighting corruption is given full support.”
PM Marape gave a reminder of former Prime Minister, Late Sir Mekere Morauta’s words in 1999, “corruption is systemic and systematic”.
He said the process of starting ICAC started in the late 1980s, but up to 2020, “nothing substantial” took place until he was able to muster sufficient political muscle to deliver it and the WhistleBlowers’ Act.
“This should signal to all observers in our country and the world that Papua New Guinea does not want to remain in the dark, old days but go into perpetual future where systems fight and eradicate corrupt practise. “ PM Marape said.
He said nations like Singapore, Finland, Denmark, New Zealand and Australia resolved to build systems to fight corruption which had led to economic growth.
“If they can do it, so can we,” PM Marape said.
“Once of the catch phrases of my Government goes like this, ‘if not now, then when, if not me, then who’, when it comes to issues like addressing corruption and other pertinent issues for the country including fighting to take back more benefits from our resources.
“Corruption fighting is not just a law breaking and social issue, but must be seen from an economic perspective because waste through corruption costs our country greatly, and even if we harvest more from our resources but if leakages through corruption remain, the efforts to gain more in from our resources is wasted.”
PM Marape said PNG’s position on the current CPI could be bettered by being practical through passage of the Whistleblowers’ Act and ICAC, “and we going further then just this” .
“I am proposing a new legislation for State to question those who gain sudden wealth, and if wealth is gained through corruption, then State will recoup these assets,” he said.