District authorities to be established

Parliament this evening voted 92 - 0 to pass a law setting up the District Authority in each districts, replacing the Joint District Budget Planning and Prioritees Committees (JDBPPCs). The Bill was introduced by the Prime Minister. It is in line with his vision to strengthen government at district level, with more funds and resources now allocated to that level, where the bulk of our people live.
 

Second Reading Speech Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local level Governments(District Development Authority) Law 2013

 

Mr Speaker, I am very pleased to present this amendment Bill. This Bill will amend the Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local level Governments to create District Development Authorities. This is a significant change to our decentralised system.

Mr Speaker, there have been a number of reforms made to the system of government over the last 40 years. Provincial Government wasintended to serve three important purposes:

-          greater decentralization;

-          locate more decision making with local people; and

-          provide greater co-ordination of development activities at the local level.

The Final Report of the Constitutional Planning Committee considered that the system of Provincial Government would open up new opportunities for our people and enable them to become involvedin determining how their affairs should be conducted.The Provincial Government system would preserve the large and diverse groups within the country. In 1976 an amendment was made to the Constitution to include Provincial Government.

Mr Speaker, in 1976 Papua New Guinea was very different to today. PNG was a brand new independent country struggling to make its mark. Some parts of the country had very little contact with the modern world, life expectancy was low and there was limited education. PNG was a new country embarking on a massive challenge. However, since 1976 there have been a lot of changes.

Mr Speaker, thanks to the policies put in place by this government children now receive fee free education providing them with opportunities that many people in my own generation missed out on. We also have subsidised health care, this Government has made significant commitments to rehabilitating the Port Moresby General Hospital and Angua Hospital.

As times have changed so too has our system of government. The first significant change occurred in 1995 when the Organic Law on Provincial Government and Local level Government was passed.  It gave far greater prominence to Local-level Government and Local-level Government become a responsibility of the National Government. Provincial Constitutions were removed and Provincial Governments effectively became an extension of the National Government.

Mr. Speaker, a system of Provincial and District Treasuries was established which shifted greater financial accountability to provinces and districts where spending decisions were being made.

Provincial, District and Local-level Government development plans were made mandatory and have now become the backbone of provincial development.

Another significant change has been the unprecedented levels of funding now flowing directly to Provincial and Local Level Governments. In 2009, there was significant reform to the Organic Law when a new funding system was introduced. Grants are no longer based on a kina per head formula they are now based on need. Provincial Governments receive grants based on the cost of delivering services in each district and also taking into account the revenues they already have. Those Provinces that need more funding get more and those that need less get less.

Mr. Speaker, grants are now made for specific service delivery activities and must be spent on the minimum priority activities or MPAs. All indications are that Provincial Governments are re prioritizing their spending. We are seeing significant increases in expenditure in health and education.

Mr. Speaker, as a direct response to the cries ofour people in rural areas in the 2013 Budget Provincial Governments and Local Level Governments received significant amounts of development funding for the districts. Each district received K 5 million and each Local level Government received K500 000. Finally money was being paid directly to where it matters the most – districts and Local Level Governments.

Mr. Speaker, we are seeing real development occurring. JDPBC around the country are rehabilitating roads, building foot bridges and purchasing much needed vehicles and equipment for police and other public servants. Just last week I was in Finschaffen for the opening of a multi-purpose office building to house the local bank, post office and district headquarters. The people of Finschaffen have access to essential services. This was built with the support of the local JDBPC using district development funds.

Mr. Speaker, the JDPBC has been so successful that it has outgrown its original design. According to the Organic Law the JDPBC has a largely administrative role, it approves the Local level Government budget and makes recommendations to the Provincial Government on budget allocations and draws up the five year district development plan.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that in reality the JDPBC is doing far more. It is now involved in the implementation of plans and programs at the district level. We need a proper legal framework for it to operate in.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment Bill marks the next step forward. This Bill will replace the JDPBC with a statutory authority, a District Development Authority. The District Development Authority will be chaired by the open member and will have the same membership as the current JDPBC.

Mr. Speaker I will be bringing an ordinary Act of Parliament next year which will provide all the details of the District Development Authority. This means there will be a chance to get the input of all members on how the District Development Authority will operate. At this stage, it is planned that the District Administrator will be the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority and all public servants including police and teachers in the district will come under the control of the Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Speaker, District Development Authorities will be able to enter contracts and sue and be sued. They will be the legal owners of all equipment purchased. There will be no more confusion about who owns equipment purchased with the DSIP.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment will significantly strengthen districts. The majority of our people live in small villages serviced by the district headquarters. Services are delivered in their location not here in Port Moresby, Lae or Mount Hagen.

Mr. Speaker in order for the country to continue to grow we must take action to strengthen districts. We must return to the original intention as expressed in the CPC – we need to bring government to the people and empower people to make decisions for their own future.

Mr. Speaker,this is a very simple amendment Bill, it will replace the JDPCB with a District Development Authority. The details of the District Development Authority will be provided in an ordinary Act which I will be brining next year. However, the benefits this Bill will bring are enormous and I look forward to having further discussions with members as we finalize the details for this significant initiative.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the Bill to the house.

 

Prime Minister's speech on the ICAC Bill

Hi all, after the passage of the 2014 Budget this evening the Prime Minister introduced the Bill to set up Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). The first vote passed 92 - 0. It is now adjourned for two months as required by law, before the second vote is taken.

 

Mr Speaker,

Today I present a very important Bill to amend the Constitution to establish the Independent Commission Against Corruption (or ICAC).

Mr. Speaker, when we took office in August 2011, one of the first NEC decisions was to adopt the Anti-Corruption Strategy 2010-2030. This strategy is the first of its kind and sets a clear path way to address corruption and improve good governance.

Mr. Speaker, in November of 2011 NEC approved 11 key actions to be undertaken between 2012 and 2015 to give effect to this Strategy. One of the key actions is the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Mr Speaker, we knew that establishing the ICAC would take time. So the Government moved quickly to establish Taskforce Sweep to deal with immediate instances of corruption.

Mr Speaker, I am pleased to say that significant progress has been made by the Sweep Team. We are on course to seriously improve the integrity of our Country.  

Mr Speaker, today marks the first step in the legislative process to establish the ICAC. The first step is to amend the Constitution to establish the Commission. The full details of the Commission will be included in a new Organic Law.

Mr Speaker, I am planning to bring the Organic Law to Parliament early next year. However, the first thing to do is pass this Constitutional Amendment.   

Mr Speaker, the support of every Member of Parliament in voting for this Bill is a fulfilment of our promise to our people. It is a defining moment; a moment of truth; a moment each and every one of us in this House stand at the mercy of our people to judge us.

Corruption is an insidious crime against our people, Mr. Speaker. If we, as leaders, don't stand up and say no to corruption, who will? This is a noble challenge for us.

But today is an opportunity for every Member of Parliament to take this moral position and say no to corruption by voting for this Bill.

The Bill, Mr. Speaker, has been developed through an extensive public consultative process covering the four regions of the Country. Public servants have had public meetings, been on radio and received numerous written submissions.

From the consultation it was clear that people at all levels in the community overwhelmingly support the establishment of the ICAC as an independent constitutional office. People want ICAC to be free of undue political influence and to undertake its work without fear or favour. They want ICAC to be different from existing anti-corruption institutions. ICAC should be able to receive and initiate investigations on its own accord and prosecute the perpetrators.

Mr. Speaker, this Bill establishes the ICAC and sets out clearly its purpose, functions, powers and accountability.

The purpose of the ICAC is to contribute, in co-operation with other agencies, to preventing, reducing and combating corrupt conduct.

The ICAC will be headed by a Commissioner and two Deputy Commissioners who shall be appointed through an Appointments Committee.

The composition of the Appointments Committee will be provided for in the new Organic Law.

Most importantly, Mr Speaker, the proposed Bill provides that the ICAC is not subject to the direction and control of any person or authority. 

Mr Speaker, once the ICAC becomes operational it will naturally take over the good work that the Sweep Team has been doing.

Mr. Speaker, the ICAC will complement the work of the Ombudsman Commission and the Police. It will not subsume their functions. The Ombudsman Commission will continue to administer the Leadership Code and ensure leaders remain accountable. The Police will continue to carry out their fraud and anti-corruption work supporting the ICAC in the public and private sectors.

Mr Speaker, putting a stop to corruption is everyone's business. Work is currently being done by the Department of Prime Minster & NEC and Justice & Attorney General to embed the message of anti-corruption and good governance in our schools and tertiary institutions. We must educate our youth so they can become better citizens tomorrow.

Mr Speaker, this is not the only anti-corruption initiative of this Government. This Government is also preparing Whistle-blower and Freedom of Information legislation. This will enable people to get access to information and if they make a complaint - they can expect a certain level of protection.

Mr Speaker, I want to encourage every Member of this House not to fear the ICAC but to embrace it as a step in the right direction to reducing the tide of corruption in our Country.

I commend the Bill to the House.

UNHCR: Harsh conditions at asylum centres

Men, women and children suffering from harsh physical conditions and legal shortcomings at Pacific Island asylum centres: UNHCR reports

In two reports released today, the UN Refugee Agency finds that asylum-seekers who had been transferred from Australia to processing centres at Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea (PNG) were living in arbitrary detention in conditions that do not meet international standards of treatment.

In Geneva, UNHCR's Director of International Protection, Volker Türk, said that while the Agency understands Australia's determination to respond robustly to the challenges of people smuggling and to dissuade people from undertaking dangerous irregular travel by sea, those responses must not neglect the compelling protection needs, safety and dignity of the individuals affected.

"These reports must be seen in the context of what UNHCR has observed to be a sharp deterioration, during the course of the year, in the overall quality of protection and support available to asylum-seekers and refugees who come to Australia by boat," said Türk.

 "Indeed, they highlight that when policies and practices are based primarily on deterrence, they can have harmful and, at times, punishing consequences for people affected, particularly families and children,"

he said

 Releasing the reports of its most recent monitoring visits to Nauru and PNG today, UNHCR Regional Representative Richard Towle said that a number of  deeply troubling  shortcomings were identified in common at both centres, and urged all three States involved to consider the findings and recommendations in the reports.

 "In both Nauru and PNG, UNHCR was deeply troubled to observe that the current policies, operational approaches and harsh physical conditions at the centres, not only do not meet  international standards, but impact very profoundly on the men, women and children housed there"

Towle said.

 "In particular, they constitute mandatory detention that is not compatible with international law, they do not provide a fair and efficient system for assessing refugee claims, do not provide safe and humane conditions of treatment in detention, and do not provide for adequate and timely solutions for recognized refugees," he said.

 With respect to Nauru, UNHCR acknowledged some positive developments since its last visit in March.  However, it also observed significant setbacks in refugee processing and a deterioration in reception conditions since the 19 July riot and the announcement that no refugees arriving to Australia by boat 19 July will be settled in Australia. 

 "We are deeply concerned that, despite a processing system being in place under Nauru law, only one decision has been handed down in the 14 months since the centre reopened and no decisions at all have been finalized at the centre in PNG," Towle said.

 Similarly, while some improvements were observed since UNHCR's last inspection of the PNG centre in June, the physical conditions within detention, together with the slowness of processing and the lack of clarity regarding safe and sustainable solutions for refugees were likely, together, to have a serious and negative effect on the health and welfare of people transferred from Australia.

 At both centres, the psycho-social well-being of vulnerable people - including survivors of torture and trauma and unaccompanied children - is likely to be an issue of growing concern. UNHCR also called on all three States not to transfer children, particularly those who are unaccompanied, unless and until there has been a marked improvement in conditions in both centres.

 "UNHCR is particularly concerned by the impact of policies that will prevent recognized refugees from finding safe, dignified and sustainable solutions in the medium to long term. The prospect for refugees in PNG finding permanent protection there presents formidable challenges, and it is clear that Nauru will offer only very limited refugees even in the shorter term," Towle said. 

 "The arrangements at Nauru and PNG would benefit from a much clearer articulation of the policy and operational framework that would set out how, when and where refugees will be able to secure protection and exercise the rights required under the 1951 Refugee Convention" he said.

  UNHCR makes a number of recommendations in relation to the concerns outlined above, and stands ready to discuss these with the States concerned.

The full reports, including recommendations, are available at:

www.unhcr.org.au

PM: Massive investment in infrastructure vital for growth

 

 

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill gave his full backing of the 2014 Budget today, saying it continued the foundations laid in 2013.

He said the record spending in infrastructure development, health, education, and business development (SME) was justified for the continued growth of the country's GDP.

"No economy can grow without investing in infrastructure development. That is a fact all around the world," the Prime Minister said during debate in Parliament.

"We are continuing the rehabilitation of the highlands highway with K150 million, we are putting another K100 million into Lae city roads. There's K10 million for the Buluminski Highway to complete the upgrade to Namatanai.

"With ADB funding we will upgrade and seal the Malalaua – Kerema highway. This will continue to Kikori, and link up with the Southern Highlands Gulf Highway which is being funded. This will connect that part of the world to the rest of highlands, and Lae and Madang.

"The Australian Government will fund the Ramu – Madang Highway. And there are allocations for other roads in the country which must be upgraded and built so our people can use them to have accessibility and give them opportunities."

Mr O'Neill said the K50 million allocated for the development of the Sepik plains will create opportunities in that part of PNG.

"There has been a lot of talk over the years to develop this region, but nothing is ever done. I want to commend the Commerce and Trade Minister for initiating this project and engaging a developer for this project which will create a lot of opportunities for the Sepik people and also the country at large."

The Prime Minister also explained an allocation in the budget for the PNG LNG project which would enable landowners to directly participate in the massive project.

"This was agreed to when we sanctioned the project during the UBSA negotiations. We are now allocating the funds to allow the landowners to participate, to give security to the project that is vital to our economy.

"The Opposition leader has misrepresented himself and misled the house by describing it as expropriating something belonging to our people. If he reads the budget books better, he will understand and not make misleading and inflammatory comments like he did," he said.

He urged the Opposition leader to debate facts, and put the interest of the country first before personal and individual interests.

Australian-built roads still surviving in Lae

By MALUM NALU

Lae road projects funded by AusAid from 1998-2002 are still surviving while 20km of roads funded by the Papua New Guinea government for K140 million from 2008-2012 have already fallen apart.

This startling contrast was pointed out by former Lae MP and respected statesman, Bart Philemon, who also questioned why Chief Secretary Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc was still sitting on a damning report commissioned by the government on the Lae roads in 2011.

An engineer involved with the AusAid project, which built roads from the industrial area near the wharf to Malahang, said things would never have gotten out of hand if the PNG government had simply worked like the Australians.

Busu Road - built by the Australians in 1998-2002, is still hardy as ever.Picture by MALUM NALU

"Lae City roads are a very complex issue," he said.

"It's complex because we made it complicated.

"It was so simple and AusAID showed us before that it can be done when all the factors are taken into consideration right from the beginning before we embark on the actual construction works.

"In short, there isn't a comprehensive plan that captures everything we want to do and yet things are being done and money is being spent.

"It's like someone wakes up one morning and says, 'ah, I know, we'll build Milford Haven Road using concrete'."

Meantime, K100 million allocated in the 2013 budget for Lae roads has not been spent and another K100 million has been allocated for 2014 in the national budget handed down last Tuesday.

"Compare that to the AusAid-funded A$43 million, which then was equivalent to about K120 million," Philemon said.

"They built 29km of first-class roads, bus stops and street lights as well, for K120 million.

"AusAid, Australian taxpayers' money, went through proper processes.

"Snowy Mountain Engineering Corporation (SMEC) was the engineering contractor.

"They designed and supervised all the roads under one well-established contractor, Barclay.

"There are local contractors now but they wouldn't have a clue.

"I don't know who's in charge of the roads in Lae now.

"It's causing great inconvenience to the people of Lae.

"You don't see a reflection of that money there.

"There are no street lights, no bus stops, very badly built roads.

Philemon said the government should be implementing the recommendations of the 2011 report.

"The investigation was done, a comprehensive report was done," he said.

"Reports are one thing but acting on reports is another thing, when you put it away and just forget about it.

"I ask Sir Manasupe to dig it up, he was chairman, and do something about it."

Philemon slams Australia for ‘blatant racism’

By MALUM NALU
 

Former Lae MP and respected statesman Bart Philemon has slammed Australian immigration for one of the “most-blatant racism” cases against Papua New Guineans he has ever seen in his life.

Philemon, who was educated in Australia and travelled frequently there as a politician and now as a private citizen, said all black passengers on an Air Niugini flight to Brisbane on Wednesday, Nov 13 were lined up and a sniffer dog set on them in scenes he had never before witnessed in his life.

Ironically, this same part of Brisbane airport known as the “red carpet”, was where former Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare was forced to remove his shoes some years ago.

Philemon said that the flight from Port Moresby arrived at Brisbane at 4.30pm and passengers disembarked for the normal passport check.

“I got my baggage and was then going through the quarantine section which is the last before they let you out,” he said,

“At Brisbane airport there’s a red carpet.

“There was a woman in front of me.

“We were told to queue up there and I stood behind the woman, who was Indian but she was black.

“I stood there and all the black ones who collected their bags came and there were about 20 of us, all queuing up on the red carpet, and they put on the sniffer dog.

“There was only one white man who was in that line.

“I told the quarantine man, ‘this is really bad as there is no white person here except for a white man who’s married to a Papua New Guinean so why are you doing this?.

“He said ‘go and check the government’ and I asked ‘which government’.

“He went and grabbed me a document about bio-security.

“I raised my voice and said it brought me ‘right there and then back to colonial times when there were black people here and white people there’.

“I said ‘I don’t care if I get arrested or deported back to Papua New Guinea but this is black and white discrimination where all the whites are going and all the blacks are locked up here in a queue’.

“The question I want to ask is ‘why is Australian quarantine singling out just Papua New Guineans, black skins’.”

“I don’t know whether they do that on every flight that goes in or pick on black people, but last Wednesday, it was really extreme.

“I’ve never felt discrimination in Australia before.

“That was the first time.

“I don’t mind if they did that to me, but when I see that they blatantly picked up all the black passengers and let all the white passengers in.

“That’s what really got my blood boiling.

I said this is nothing but ‘pure racism’.

“Worse things happened to Jews, but because they were Jews, Nazis singled them out.

“That’s 70 years ago.”

Massive corruption in Lae roads

By MALUM NALU

Former Lae MP and senior statesman Bart Philemon has described the K140 million for just 20km of Lae roads from 2008-2012 as the “biggest corruption” case in Papua New Guinea for which a lot of prominent figures in both politics and business should hang their heads in shame.

Speaking in Lae and later showing some of the shoddy road works, Philemon described the Lae roads as “the biggest scam, an open scam”. 

The road leading from the old airport to town is blocked off on Sunday, Nov 17.

Butibam Road along Voco Point remains to be completed.

Signboard for a new road contract but no explanation for previous contracts.

The shoddy dustbowl at China Town.

Meanwhile, K100 million was allocated in the 2013 budget for Lae roads, but has not been spent to date apart from K12 million already paid out to some “contractors”, and yet another K100 million has been budgeted for 2014.

“Talking about corruption, Lae roads is the biggest corruption,” he said.

“They dismantled the proper tendering process and they involved this certificate of inexpediency, so they could pick and choose which contractors.

“This was before the 2012 elections.

“The first contract was awarded in 2008 after the 2007 elections.

“(Former Prime Minister Sir Michael) Somare promised down at the stadium, during his campaign, after Somare and I fell out, that he would get rid of me in Lae.

“He promised K50 million for Lae roads.

“After the 2007 elections, they dismantled the normal tendering process and involved certificates of inexpediency, so they could handpick whoever they wanted.”

“They picked six contractors, Papua New Guineans contractors.

“Something happened and after 12 months they took that contract away.”

Philemon said the Finance Department administered funds for the Lae roads after that, dishing out contracts to a motley crew of contractors, some of whom never had a clue about road construction.

“After a couple of years, they got NME to be engineering supervisor, but every contractor’s original tender price exceeded by more than 20% to 60%, 100%,” he said.

“From what I understand, any government contract that varies in price more than 20%, a new contract has to be awarded.

“By 2011, they built less than 15km of road for K130 million.

“We managed to get an investigation team established.

“Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc was chairman of that.

“The investigation report was done, there were a lot of questions raised, very serious questions of governance issues.

“Cabinet looked at the submission and deferred to Operation Task Force Sweep, and we haven’t heard anything since then.

“During last elections, a lot of that money went back to the leading political parties for campaign.

“I don’t know who’s in charge, of the roads, it’s causing great inconvenience to people of Lae, and some of the roads have been closed for a long period of time.

“It’s hard to describe.

“Up to now they’ve spent K130-K140 million but you don’t see a reflection of the money there.

“When I left at the end of 2012, there was 20km of road built for about K130 million.

“This was the first stage.

“There were six contractors, there was no engineering design for the road, there was no bill of quantity, and there was no engineering supervisor.”