Corruption in Somare Government

Mr Speaker, I direct my question to the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister,

During your visit to Kandep to support the by-election campaign of Don Polye, you announced your intention to quit politics in 2012. Last Friday, the Post-Courier, your Government’s favourite daily, reported this news under the heading “Sir Michael to quit, again”.

The paper also went on to report and I quote: “The elderly statesman admitted corrupt practices were rampant in government systems but diverted the blame to public servants as the worst perpetrators”.

Prime Minister, at last you have admitted that your Government is corrupt. But instead of telling the people of Kandep and people everywhere what you intend to do about it, you blamed public servants.

Prime Minister, people are just fed up with corruption. Everyone, everywhere, is talking about it. People are fed up with lack of action to punish corrupt people and lack of action to get rid of corruption.

Now that you have finally admitted corruption in the public sector is, in your words, “rampant”:

1. Can you now tell us how you will deal with the corruption you have discovered?

2. Can you outline in detail and in concrete terms your plan to fight the growth and spread of this evil and destructive disease?

3. Can you give facts to substantiate your statement that public servants are the quote “worst perpetrators”? In what ways, and in what areas?

The large majority of people would in fact disagree with you. Most people know that it is a handful of Ministers who are the worst perpetrators, and people know who these Ministers are. Most people think that those public servants who are corrupt are just copying their political masters: public servants know they can get away with corrupt practices, because their leaders are in it too. They have joined the same club.

4. How will you convince Papua New Guineans otherwise?

5. But more importantly, how will you lead the fight against corruption?

Mekere Morauta Kt MP

Leader of the Opposition and

Member for Moresby North-West