US expert: PNG has a long way to go in battle against corruption

By MALUM NALU

Papua New Guinea has a long way to go in the battle against corruption, according to a visiting American anti-corruption expert, Robert Cerasoli.

Cerasoli, an expert in anti-corruption, rule of law, ethics, and has experience serving as inspector general in the US government, said this during a public lecture at the Institute of Public Administration in Port Moresby yesterday on the topic "What does it mean to be an Ethical Public Servant?".

Robert Cerasoli

The objective was to discuss the importance of ethics and professionalism in public service and highlight the role civil servants play in advancing democracy at a crucial time for PNG.

“Resources to achieve the goals (of government) are limited,” he said.

“Public servants are stewards of these resources.

“And they must ensure that these resources are used to achieve the goals effectively and efficiently as possible.

“They are the ones to prevent fraud, misuse and squandering of the resources of their government, the squandering of resources of Papua New Guinea.”

Cerasoli said over the last few days he had talked to several people in government and media, and the general perception was that corruption was a problem in the country.

“And, like many nations that I go to in Africa, the people say, ‘there is a culture of corruption’.

“Well, I don’t believe that, I don’t think you believe that.

“I think it’s a more-complicated story.

“I don’t think the people here, by nature, are corrupt.

“It doesn’t work like that.

“If we believe that we have the original sin of corruption in us all, then all is lost.

“So what does that mean? Where do we go from here? How do you think corruption starts? How has it become so insidious?

“Many people, public administrators in the field, have a difficult time defining corruption.”

Top Australian radio jock visits PNG

By MALUM NALU

A top Australian radio presenter who has close links with Papua New Guinea is impressed at relations between the two countries.

Radio Australia breakfast show presenter Phillip Kafcaloudes, who is here for the 40^th anniversary of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), said he was surprised at the amount of goodwill Papua New Guineans showed towards Australia.

Kafcaloudes interviewing PNG’s oldest surviving journalist Biga Lebasi outside The National office on Wednesday.-Picture by MALUM NALU

“I would have thought that there wasn’t good will towards Australia,” he said.

“Look at sports here - rugby league, rugby union, cricket, netball, even AFL and soccer - all the sports that Australia loves, PNG loves.

“What I hear also is that if Australia is playing some other country, people go for Australia.

“I’m really surprised by that.

“I thought they’d say ‘we were a colony of yours, get out and leave us alone.”

“But everywhere, there seems to be goodwill towards Australia.”

Kafcaloudes said despite all the negativity about PNG, the people were completely different.

 “On the surface you see people who are remarkably happy, given all these other issues,” he said.

“I find that very surprising, but that’s probably the perception we get overseas that PNG is dangerous, or that PNG in general has a real corruption issue.

“The fact that people are as happy as they seem to be and are welcoming says a lot about PNG people, despite all the problems they’ve got.”

This is Kafcaloloudes' second time in PNG, having first been here 11 years ago as a journalism trainer at Divine Word University in Madang.

He has joined in celebrations this week at NBC including being a guest presenter and interviewing some of the famous voices like current managing director Memafu Kapera and Justin Kili.

 “It’s fascinating to go into the same studios that they had 40 years ago,” Kafcaloudes said,

“Equipment is much newer but the place is the same building: the ABC.

“I was talking to the managing director of the NBC, losing money

“From what I saw, the presenters were very lively, were very interested, I was very impressed.

“And I was very impressed with the entire media organisations.

“I know there are issues with training of journalists, it’s hard, especially when there was so much training 30 years ago or so.

“I’ve been reading the papers and the quality and the freedom of the media is there.

“It’s good, very good.”

Prime Minister satisfied with progress in fight against corruption

This is the Prime Minister's statement in full so you are entitled to bellieve it or not:

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said yesterday he was satisfied that Papua New Guinea has made significant progress in the fight against corruption.

“I’m pleased with what we have achieved, in the fight to stem corruption, since 2011. Much of the stride we have made may not be noticeable, and may not please everyone, but that will not deter us from our commitment,” Mr O’Neill said.

He said high investor confidence, sound management of the economy, building infrastructure for better service delivery, and improving business environment were the hallmarks of a country that is dealing decisively with its development issues, including fighting corruption.

“Against this backdrop, I must say that I am disappointed with PNG’s rating on the Corruption Perceptions Index 2013. Obviously those who influence this perception rating may have a certain bias in the way our government has addressed some issues in the last 12 months.

“But let me assure the people of Papua New Guinea that the government will take this rating as an encouragement to do more to fight this evil of corruption.”

Since being elected Prime Minister, the government under O’Neill’s leadership has:

·      Approved the National Anti-Corruption Strategy which has won the approval of the United Nations;

·     Set up a National Anti-Corruption Task Force which is now implementing the Strategy;

·     Set up Task Force SWEEP headed by Sam Koim which is investigating and prosecuting corrupt practices in the public sector;

·     ordered a high level investigation into massive fraud and corruption in the Finance Department, which has resulted in a clean out of the department, and prosecution of certain individuals involved;

·     Introduced the ICAC Bill in Parliament which passed the first vote with an overwhelming majority; supporting legislations to protect whistle blowers and ensure freedom of information will be introduced when the ICAC Bill faces the second vote next year; 

·     Ordered a review of certain contracts with prices which were deemed as excessive;

·     Frozen all illegally/improperly acquired land leases (SABLs) following a commission of inquiry, and appointing a task force to review the process; and

·     Reviewed the entire public procurement process with the inclusion of independent assessors, for the first time, to allow more transparency and accountability in the process, and speed up delivery time.

The Prime Minister said: “These are some of the measures we have taken as a government to improve governance, and enhance transparency and accountability in our systems and processes. No-one can accuse us of doing nothing.”

He said there was a lot of debate and discussions in the mainstream and social media about corruption.

“The use of these forums for discussions and debates is healthy. Most of these discussions are sensible and useful in the cause, while some are baseless innuendos which we all can do without.

“It is important to remember that fighting corruption is not just the government’s business; it’s everyone’s business. We all have a role to play to rid our country of corruption,” the Prime Minister said.

Task Force Swep signs agreement with Australian Federal Police

Task Force Sweep on Tuesday evening signed a historic agreement with Australian Federal Police to share information, resources and conduct investigations on cross-border corruption issues of matters of mutual interest between the two countries.

Chairman of Task Force Sweep Sam Koim signed the memorandum of understanding with AFP Assistant Commissioner Ramsey Jabbour at the residence of Australian High Commissioner to PNG Deborah Stokes.

Koim and Jabbour sign the agreement on Tuesday evening.-Picture by MALUM NALU

“I understand that there are a lot of MOUs and agreements like this that are signed with customs, immigration, police,” Koim said.

“They are involved in an issue that is affecting this country very much – and that is corruption.

“There’s still a lot of work, but finally we’ve signed it, and it sets the precedent for something big to come.

“I believe that this agreement will help us to combat corruption and a number of cross-border issues that we face.”

Jabbour said he was looking forward to working closely with Task Force Sweep and other law-enforcement agencies in PNG to combat all forms of transnational crime.

“I think it makes good sense that we work closely on matters of mutual interest and we help to protect each other’s nations and secure them for our families, our children and for future generations,” he said.

“It’s actually my pleasure to have been able to sign the MOU because I’m actually looking forward to the AFP having a close working relationship with Task Force Sweep.”

Stokes said it was a milestone agreement between Australia and PNG.

“This will take cooperation with Task Force Sweep to a new level and it’s something that we’ve been talking about for a while,” he said.

“It’s good to see it come to pass this evening.

“I’d like to congratulate Task Force Sweep and the prosecution office for this achievement – a very heartening development in PNG and your good friends in Australia.”

Maintaining rural roads a massive problem for government

Department of Works (DoW) secretary David Wereh on Monday admitted that maintaining rural roads throughout the country is a massive problem for the government.

He made the admission when Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) announced it would start a K40 million four-year project with the Papua New Guinea government to start repairing selected rural gravel roads in four provinces in 2014.

“Roads are very important to this country,” Wereh said at a meeting to kick start the project.

“We have about 8,700km of national roads and about 21,000km of provincial roads.

“Trying to manage these roads and keeping them in passable condition is a huge challenge and task for the department that is mandated to upkeep these roads.

“Every year we talk about money.

“It just requires enough resources to ensure that these roads are kept in a passable condition.

“On the back of the roads, we can talk about service delivery, growing the economy and others.

“We at the department were exploring options that can help us to overcome the backlog of issues we have, both on the provincial roads and national roads.”

Wereh said the start of the project marked a milestone as JICA partnered with DoW to refleet the once-thriving plant and transport branch (PTB) that was revived in 2008.

“We’re looking at sustainable maintenance operations, how we can continue to upkeep our roads in both provincial and some sections of the national highways.

“Initially, it will be piloted in the four regional (DoW) offices, and then it will expand out to other provinces and districts throughout the country.

“Roads should always be kept in a passable condition.

“What is happening at the moment is that we are attending to maintenance needs as and when we have funding.

“That’s why we see that sometimes roads are in good condition, sometimes roads are in bad condition.

“Trying to keep roads in better condition is always an issue and a major challenge.

“We believe that the partnership that JICA and we (DoW) are going into should provide some sustainable maintenance programmes on some of the key roads throughout the country.”

The project in Morobe, East Sepik, West New Britain and Western Highlands seeks to assist PNG, which is facing problems in road maintenance, by carrying out capacity improvement on its implementing agencies.

JICA will provide K32 million which provides for heavy equipment to revive the once-thriving plant and transport branch (PTB) and road building, while PNG will provide counterpart funding of K10 million.

Road sections of 10-20km will be built in the four provinces, meaning up to 80km will be built over the four years.