Explain K4 billion 'daylight robbery'

The National Editorial - Thursday, February 17, 2011

 

ACTING Deputy Police Commissioner operations Fred Yakasa again gave us a stark reminder of corruption in Papua New Guinea when he said on Tuesday that a mammoth 50% of its budget annually is lost to fraud.

This works out to a whopping K4 billion a year, which Yakasa bluntly said had gone into the hands of corrupt public servants and senior bureaucrats, many of whom he alleges have invested these gains overseas.

On top of that, PNG fails to collect more than half of the taxation revenue that is due to it.

Internal Revenue Commission has admitted that hundreds of millions have been lost through tax evasion, false declarations and companies hiding their books from authorities.

Hundreds of millions are lost annually through non-compliance by companies in submitting their tax returns while IRC, because of capacity constraints, limits its checks to major corporate entities operating in the country.

Yakasa’s words should be taken note of by every citizen of PNG if we want to see our country develop.

We can only hope that the recent meetings in Crowne Plaza between the acting Prime Minister Sam Abal and senior public servants from Waigani and the provinces will stop this daylight robbery of public funds.

Apart from fraud, there is an element of ineptness among public servants, which they cover up with meetings, workshops, and meaningless junkets, exploiting their travelling allowance without achieving any results to better the lives of our people.

The most critical issue the Somare government must address is the performance of the public service, and especially that of the heads of government departments and agencies.

 The minister and secretary of National Planning and Monitoring, the first assistant secretaries as well as all heads of associated agencies, and the minister and secretary for Finance and their line managers have to explain the K4 billion fraud allegations.

Are the allegations true or false? We must know and they are the only persons who can answer these questions.

Each one of them is affected by and stands accused by the words of Yakasa: “PNG has the wealth to provide each and every one of us with first – world quality of life.

“Where does the money go?

“It disappears into the pockets of corrupt public servants; it disappears into real estate properties in Australia and Vanuatu, into bank accounts in Singapore and it disappears in the form of minerals and timber in foreign ships that foreign businesses have bribed our politicians to avoid paying for.”

If the accusations are false then the onus is on the relevant senior public servants and their political leaders to come out and defend the good names of their various offices.

The nation’s top planners admitted last December that there was a highly-organised syndicate operating with the bureaucracy who preys on recipients of government cheques.

They included public servants, bank workers and police personnel who may have milked the state of millions of kina over the years.

These people cannot be operating in isolation. Somebody must know of somebody involved in this. Why is nobody speaking out?

Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) recently expressed disgust at the collapse of the government’s financial management systems as Public Account Committee reports clearly showed a complete lack of accountability within the public service.

TIPNG says that it was very sad to learn from that from the 1,000 enquiries carried out by the PAC into the operations of various government agencies, hospital boards, and trust accounts most have not complied with lawful requirements.

The PAC has sounded the alarm bells and the national executive council must address this situation as the highest priority.

We understand the various PAC reports have been sitting with the NEC gathering dust, if this is true then this is indeed an indictment on the members of the NEC.

It is totally unacceptable that government, and particularly the NEC, turns a blind eye to reports submitted by the PAC.

From the point of view of the people, when government does not bother to respond to theft and malpractice, it becomes an accomplice of those who are stealing and misusing the people’s resources.

This state of affairs suggests the government has no respect for the people it is sworn to serve and is certainly not serious about ensuring that proper procedures and regulations, particularly the Financial Management Act, are adhered to by all agencies in a transparent manner.

Lack of action by the government continues to feed and encourage more unlawful practices, translating into non-delivery of goods and services for the ordinary people.

 

Farewell to a hero

By KEVIN TEME

PAPUA New Guinea rugby league star Aquila Emil epitomised rugby league as an ambassador, as a mentor, a leader and a player, The National reports.

Pallbearers and former Kumuls Stanley Haru (from left), Joshua Kouoru, Ronald Tovue, Kera Ngaffin, Philip Boge and Richard Wagambie with the cacsket of the late Aquila Emil during the funeral service at at Reverend Sioni Kami Memorial church in Port Moresby yesterday.-Nationalpic by EKAR KEAPU

And as his son, Junior Aquila Emil made his way to the altar (pulpit) to read his father’s eulogy, he broke the hearts of the congregation who shed tears freely at the funeral service at the Reverend Sioni Kami Memorial church yesterday.
For some they had seen him as an inspiration to their own lives.

Widow Marieta (second from right), eldest son Aquila Emil Jr  and eldest daughter Vavine (left) weep as members of the great 1992 Kumuls carry the casket of Aquila Emil into church

Fighting back tears, Junior said: “My dad was a great mentor, he gave his best a father could ever give and he would always support us.”
“The death of my father will leave a lot of pain in our hearts but he had left many lessons for us to learn and many memories that we will never forgot.
“We thank God that you had been a wonderful father to us,” Junior said.

Aquila Emil's casket against the backdrop of grieving family members

NCD Governor Powes Parkop, who attended the funeral, said: “He was a true ambassador of rugby league and his charisma will be a turning point for all.
“They should put their differences aside and work for the common good of the game Emil loved. Emil had done that so we must continue to carry on the good work he had left.
“He is a true ambassador not only in rugby league but for his family and those who were around him,” Parkop said.
Parkop was among others, including former PNG Rugby Football League chairman Albert Veratau, the PNGNRL Bid team, former PNG Kumuls coach John Wagambie, who flew in from Alotau, former Kumuls mentor Mark Mom and the chairman of selectors Arnold Krewanty who attend the church service.
The others were Stanley Haru, Richard Wagambie, Philip Boge, Kera Ngaffin, Joshua Kouru, Ronald ToVue, Charlie Wabo, Jessie Joe, Nigel Hukula and Johnson Kuike.

Former Kumuls Joshua Kouoru (left), Tuksy Karu and Ronald Tovue laying wreaths on the casket of the late Aquila Emil yesterday

Emil’s death had inspired many within the rugby league fraternity, his family, friends and those around him.
His fame in the rugby league arena would leave a lasting legacy and footprints in the hearts of the rugby league administrators, players and, more importantly, the upcoming juniors.
Many spoke highly of him as one of the best league players of all-time. One of the best coaches in PNG and a former teammate Adrian Lam in memory of Emil has named his junior scholarship programme, the Aquila Emil scholarship scheme under the banner of the Adrian Lam Foundation.

Junior rugby league players whom Emil helped to develop pay their last respects

The late Aquila Emil’s body will be flown out to his village, Meteui, New Hanover, New Ireland, today.
His death had also brought everyone within the PNGRFL together for the first time since the in-house conflict surfaced in 2009.
Emil has shown the light for all PNGRFL stakeholders to work together for the good and development of the game.
He would be keen to see the work he left behind continue to develop so that the nation could love watching andreading about rugby league

Till we meet again...Aquila Emil's inlaws from Babaka village sing a last song of goodbye

Potato grows well in Chimbu

By BUSTIN ANZU

CHIMBU province is geographically isolated in social and economical development due to its positioning.
The land is mostly unfertile and filled with rocks.
Coffee seems to be the only crop that generates income for the Chimbu populace with kaukau (sweet potato) being the main staple food.
English potato is a crop that has attracted the attention of some Chimbus.

Harvested potatoes ready for market

It is harvested three times a year and one can budget between coffee and potato: when to pick coffee and when to harvest potato, so that there is a continuity of income to a household.
People around PNG’s highest mountain, Mt Wilhelm, and the surrounding Gembogl area grow good potato and other vegetables.
The soil is fertile and ideal for these vegetables, including broccoli and cauliflower.
Other places like Kerowagi and Kup to the east; Gumine, Sol Nomane and Kilau to the south; Sinasina to north east; and Chuave to the west and sharing border with Eastern Highlands, are other areas where potato and other greens grow well.
When Wally and Barbra Yegiora saw huge potatoes in their backyard at Irmil village near Koge, Kamtai district, they could not believe their eyes.

Wally Yegiora (centre) with his tribesmen displaying potatoes that were harvested at Irmil village, Chimbu province

They purchased three 16kg bags of potato seedlings at K30 each, and fertiliser worth K200 to get into business.
They bought those seedlings from National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) at Tambul in Western Highlands province.
They also collected information and advice from potato technicians.
From this, they were able to gather 20 bags weighing 50kg each.
It was beyond all expectation and they were overwhelmed.
They are planning to extend their backyard to plant more seedlings and supplement their livelihood.
“It’s a new find for us,” said Wally Yegiora.
“We have been living with coffee alone all these years and we are trying to venture into new crops to supplement our living.

Harvested potatoes of Irmil village

Valuable agricultural information now available online

By JAMES LARAKI of NARI

AGRICULTURAL planners, researchers, extension officers and others involved in agricultural production will now have access to altitudinal range of over 200 economical crops in Papua New Guinea.
This is possible after the publication of a paper titled Altitudinal limits of 230 economic crop species in Papua New Guinea published by the Australian National University E-Press in the Terra Australia series.
Recorded and written by well-known agronomist and geographer, Dr Mike Bourke, the publication is a result of research work he started in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Dr Mike Bourke during the national development forum in August 2009.-Picture by MALUM NALU

Dr Bourke, who has been involved in agricultural research and development activities in PNG, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu for the past 38 years, said the paper was important because it defined the altitudinal range of all major and many minor crops in PNG.
He said this was useful information for planners, extension officers, researchers and others involved in agricultural production.
Dr Bourke, who served as an agronomist and principal research horticulturalist with Department of Agriculture and Livestock between 1970 and 1983, said that because the data was recorded about 30 years ago, it provided baseline information on temperature change associated with climate change.
”Because of the close relationship between temperature and altitude in PNG, data on crop limits are a surrogate for temperature recordings,” he said.
“Historical data on where crops grow provides a baseline to gauge the impact of temperature changes associated with global climate change.
“Altitude, as a surrogate for temperature, also influences the rate of crop development, as well as setting limits to growth.
“Only a limited amount of information exists on the influence of altitude on crop development and yield in PNG.”
Dr Bourke added that the information was also useful to those involved in transferring agricultural technology as they required basic information about where certain crops would grow.
He has strong research interest in village agriculture in the Pacific and has recorded the altitudinal ranges of these crops based on numerous field observations over a period of three years covering all regions of PNG.
The record classified the crops as food, export commodities, shade and time, stimulants, decorations, body covering, cover crops, fish poison, and weeds.
Dr Bourke, who has extensive experience on agriculture development in the Pacific, has published many books and papers to capture his experiences in the region.
The paper is available on-line and can be downloaded free-of-charge, along with other papers in this volume of the Terra Australia series.
It is available at: www.http://epress.anu.edu.au/terra_australis/ta32/pdf/ch27.pdf  and Bourke can be contacted on mike.bourke@anu.edu.au.

Billions lost to fraud, says Yakasa

PAPUA New Guinea loses about 50% of its budget directly to fraud, The National reports. “This is equivalent to K4 billion a year which has gone into the hands of corrupt public servants and senior bureaucrats, many of whom have invested these gains overseas,” acting deputy police commissioner Fred Yakasa  said this week at a workshop in Port Moresby.

Fred Yakasa

Yakasa told participants to take on different measures of investigation as opposed to the traditional process of, arresting, charging, and prosecuting, which had failed in the past 15 to 20 years.
The workshop, themed “Proceeds of Crime”, is being organised by the anti-money laundering assistance team from the Australian justice and attorney-general department in conjunction with the Papua New Guinea financial intelligence unit.
The workshop participants are drawn from members within the Royal PNG Constabulary, auditor-general’s office; finance inspection branch and the PNG Securities Commission.
Yakasa also said PNG had the wealth that could provide each and every citizen with a world-class quality lifestyle yet it currently suffered from a level of financial crime common in many African nations.
He said PNG could provide its people with the best health care, good roads, schooling and a good standard of living but “the criminal among us; our own people, are stealing money from government accounts and avoiding taxes”.
Yakasa also said PNG failed to collect more than half of the taxation revenue that was due because public office holders decided not to pay.
“Where does that money go? It disappears into the pockets of corrupt public servants,”
“If you want health care, roads, public infrastructure and services that we Papua New Guineans deserve, then now is the time to stand up and stop the fraud and corruption that is destroying our nation,” Yakasa said

Sex, drugs and alcohol thrives in Papua New Guinea schools

By DULCIE OREKE

A RESEARCH has found that about 10% of Grade 7 students take marijuana, the symposium on alcohol abuse in Port Moresby was told yesterday, The National reports.
During his presentation, acting secretary for education Dr Joseph Pagelio said the findings had revealed that the percentages of students taking these illegal substances also increased as they move up the grades.
He said 7% female and 24% male students interviewed in the research also admitted to having sex within their own age group after taking drugs or alcohol.
The research, conducted by the Department of Education guidance and counselling branch, indicated that 20% of students in Grade 9 had taken marijuana while 11.17% admitted to drinking alcohol.
Pagelio told the symposium that in many cases, the students had admitted to starting off with alcohol.
“Those who could not afford it settled for homebrew on a regular basis,” he said, revealing a 37% consumption rate among Grade 9 and Grade 11 students in their quest for life’s pleasures.
The education secretary said the researchers also noted that another 10% either ingest or inhale other substances like laboratory (methylated) spirits and other drug-like bush plants or they sniff petrol, glue, paint and other chemicals.
Pagelio told the symposium that addiction to drugs and alcohol had often resulted in criminal acts and irrational behaviours, which were further boosted with other drugs and illegal substances sold on the street.
He also pointed out that between 2005 and last year, anti-social behaviour – drug and alcohol abuse; student violence; unplanned pregnancies; pornography; bullying and cult activities – were “frequent in our secondary and upper primary schools”.
Teacher absenteeism was also another major problem.
However, Pagelio said the Education Department had developed new mechanisms to address drug and alcohol abuse in schools.
He said the introduction of a new behaviour management policy would change the way schools manage and respond to student behaviour.
“It is a whole school approach to promoting positive student behaviour,” Pagelio said.
“It is about creating an environment where students are valued and learn the acceptable ways of behaving.”
The strategies included effective discipline techniques and sanctions, fair suspension and expulsion processes and counselling. The other strategies contained in the policy included supporting a healthy learning environment, effective class and school management and teaching of life skills.
Pagelio said the policy also outlined the mandated responsibilities of everyone including parents and guardians, local communities, teachers, school counsellors and guidance officers, head teachers, standards officers and Tvet inspectors, school boards, the Teaching Service Commission and Department of Education and the national education board.

 

Attacks on Australians in Papua New Guinea continue

By ILYA GRIDNEFF, AAP Papua New Guinea Correspondent

PORT MORESBY, Feb 15 AAP - Papua New Guinea police are investigating allegations a brutal attack on an Australian aid worker is linked to his work exposing corruption.

A spate of car-jackings in the capital, Port Moresby, has given rise to a climate of fear among some Australian officials, so much so Australia's High Commissioner to PNG, Ian Kemish, last week met with police chiefs to discuss their concerns.

One of these incidents included a male aid adviser working in PNG's National AIDS Council Secretariat (NACS) who suffered "serious injuries" in an attack last month during a car-jacking that required him to be flown to Brisbane for treatment.

AAP understands another Australian adviser with NACS ended her contract shortly after her colleague's car-jacking. She had suffered repeated violent threats.

NACS boss Wep Kanawi, who is overseeing controversial reforms and restructures within the organisation riddled with corruption, suffered serious wounds when car-jacked outside his Port Moresby home on Sunday night.

 Port Moresby Metropolitan Police Commander Joseph Tondop told AAP he is aware of the Australian officials' concern.

"Police are looking into the car-jackings and if there is something to do with corruption then we will pursue this," he said.

 Australia's opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop told AAP the incidents were "extremely damaging" for Australia's efforts in PNG.

"If the allegations are correct it raises very serious concern about the safety of our aid workers and the issue of corruption within the aid system.

 "The Australian government must call on the PNG government to assure our aid workers can operate in a safe environment and are safe to report any issue they have with the aid program," she said.

 A spokeswoman for the Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd said in a written statement: "there is currently no evidence to confirm such allegations."

"Australia is strongly committed to supporting PNG to address corruption," she said. 

 Australia's $457 million annual aid program to PNG focuses on tackling widespread corruption, but the realpolitik means little can be done when advisers actually discover wrongdoing.

A lack of political will on the PNG side, underfunding for police, the jails and court system means most crimes go unsolved in the country.

Now, there are new concerns scant police numbers are being sent from the capital to remote parts of PNG for a massive ExxonMobil-led resource project.

Despite Australian Federal Police assistance in Madang, on PNG's northeast coast, police are still yet to arrest anyone in relation to the rape of a young Australian volunteer whose group was car-jacked, tied to tree and robbed in November last year.

No one has been charged for the shooting of Queensland businessman John Ramshaw, 61, who was killed during a robbery in June last year.

 PNG police have not arrested anyone for the brutal murder of Victorian transport adviser David Nicholson, 53, who was found dead after two young men accompanied him back to his Port Moresby flat in September 2008.