Category: Media Statements

Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) has grave concerns about the Prime Minister’s commitment to integrity, given recent remarks justifying his dramatic change of mind in making two key Ministerial re-appointments, effectively acting against his own earlier decision, which in accordance with principles of good governance, was to protect the investigation into the K46m Manumanu Land Deal by sidelining Mr. William Duma and Dr. Fabian Pok until such time as it had been completed.

On Tuesday 26th September, in responding to questions on the floor of Parliament by Hon. Peter Isoaimo Member for Kairuku Hiri and Hon. James Donald Member for North Fly, the Prime Minister is reported to have justified his controversial decision to re-appoint Mr. Duma and Dr. Pok to ministerial portfolios by saying that, “We will address the issues that may come to light at the end of the enquiry [sic] it’s no point me preempt [sic] the outcomes of the enquiry [sic] under our jurisdiction, the members should know all citizens are innocent until proven guilty.”

This is a direct contradiction of the Prime Minister’s statement to the media in February of this year when he said, Mr. Duma and Dr. Pok, “will step aside from their ministerial responsibilities pending the conclusion and outcomes of the Commission of Inquiry [now an Administrative Inquiry].” Furthermore, Mr. O’Neill said that, “It is now clear that these agencies of Government have not worked together in a co-ordinate way to facilitate the implementation of the 2012 Government NEC decision. The acquisition of this land has been done in clear violation of the Governments decision, and resulted in 78.4 million Kina being paid.”

Chairman of TIPNG Mr. Lawrence Stephens, in a media release, said that, “Papua New Guineans know that if a Minister is being investigated he or she must step down to preserve the integrity of the office they hold, the PM must follow through his earlier commitment to integrity and revoke the appointments of Duma and Pok until the Administrative Inquiry into the Manumanu Land Deal is completed and the results made public.” Mr. Stephens also observed that the Members of Parliament and media must be commended for reminding the Prime Minister of his commitment to integrity and protecting the course of justice.

Download PDF Version

Transparency International Papua New Guinea (TIPNG) will not allow a recent burglary to stop their mission to empower citizens to oppose corruption. The newly opened TIPNG office located in Boroko, NCD suffered a break and entry in the early hours of Monday morning with personnel being assaulted and close to K20,000 worth of goods stolen from the premises.

“We are a local Non-governmental Organisation fighting an important battle against destructive corruption and dependent on financial support from concerned citizens and donor agencies” said Chairman of TIPNG Lawrence Stephens, “While we cannot say for certain that the theft was as a result of our work against the corrupt, we will obviously continue to fulfil our mission of speaking up for Papua New Guineans, even though we are now challenged by the loss of our project equipment.”

The matter has been reported to the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) who are currently following all leads and asking for members of the public with information to come forward.

Download PDF Version

Chairman of Transparency International, Mr José Ugaz is visiting Papua New Guinea for the first time. Mr Jose Ugaz will be in Port Moresby on Monday (7/8/17) as part of his chapter visits.

José was elected Chairman to the Transparency International Board in 2014. José Ugaz is a lawyer who was special state attorney in one of Latin American’s biggest corruption cases in history.

Ugaz was an ad-hoc state attorney of Peru for several corruption cases against the criminal network of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori. Fujimori fled the country in 2000 after allegations of systematic and widespread abuse of power. From 2000-2002, Ugaz’s office opened more than 200 cases against 1500 government officials and other associates of Fujimori. Under his mandate, US$205 million in assets were frozen abroad and US$75 million were recovered.

Ugaz was a member of the UN Peace Keeping Mission and the UN Election Observers Mission for El Salvador, and from 2004-2006 served at the World Bank’s anti-corruption unit. He has been teaching criminal law at the Universidad Católica del Perú since 1986.

While in country, José will be speaking to civil society organizations on citizen’s role in preventing impunity. A special business breakfast will be held for him to have an audience with the business community in Port Moresby. Ugaz will also be sharing his experiences with the students of the University and institutions.

Transparency International PNG is honored to host its global chairman and hopes that the dialogue Ugaz has with the various sectors will inspire them to continue to empower people and fight the good fight.

Transparency International PNG (TIPNG)is calling on the Prime Minster to keep his promise to the people of Papua New Guinea and revoke the appointment of Hagen Open MP, William Duma, as Minister for Public Enterprise and State Investment. Mr. Duma was one of the two ministers, along with several departmental heads, who were sidelined in March for acontroversial land deal, worth K46 million, to transfer a PNGDF base to Manumanu, just outside of Port Moresby.

TIPNG sees the appointment of William Duma MP to multiple portfolios in the caretaker government as being unjust to the citizens of Papua New Guinea who are expecting accountability and integrity from the Prime Minister and his new cabinet.

Prime Minister O’Neill, is on the public record as making a clear commitment to Papua New Guineans that the estimated K2 million Administrative Inquiry, called for by the National Executive Council (NEC), would examine the details of the Manumanu Land Deal as the matter was in the “public interest” and thus should be “treated in [a] fair and transparent manner.” Thus far, he has fallen short of his own standards with no publication of the findings of the inquiry, and now the reappointment of the Mr. Duma with no consideration of his promise to those to whom he is accountable – his fellow citizens.

“We as Papua New Guineans expect our leaders, and more so our State Ministers, to be cleared of all alleged serious wrong-doings before they are entrusted to make decisions which will affect us all”, said Chairman of TIPNG, Lawrence Stephens. “The Prime Minster must respect the process which he himself started earlier this year. He should revoke Mr. Duma’s appointment until the findings of the Administrative Inquiry are released and justice has run its course”, Mr. Stephens further stated, “For instance, Prime Minister O’Neill promised that the K46million funds, in the public’s interest would be traced to the various bank accounts– why has he chosen to ignore his own promises so readily now?”

Mr. Duma, whose declaration as Member-elect in Hagen, under concerning circumstances, allegedly caused days of violence and strife in Western Highlands Province was recently announced as Minister for Petroleum and Energy, Housing and Urbanisation, Public Enterprise and State Investments, Transport, Agriculture and Livestock in Prime Minister O’Neill’s seven-men caretaker cabinet.

The resignation of the Electoral Advisory Committee is another indication of the state of the nation.

This committee was created by law to provide advice to the Electoral Commissioner. It is a very sensible way to involve level headed individuals in giving advice to a constitutional office.

Constitutional office holders occupy essential, independent but often very lonely chairs. There is value in them being conscious of the need to consult widely without limit to their independence. We
saw the inclusion of the committee in the law as being an affirmation of the value we all see of seeking advice.

When Transparency International PNG was invited to nominate a person for appointment to the committee we did so eagerly. Contrary to some misconceptions of our role we embrace opportunities to work with government to help bring about improvement in the way we are governed. Involvement of our nominees in committees and boards offering advice is one way assisting.

Unfortunately the EAC was not activated before the 2007 or 2012 elections. It could have played a useful role in the years between elections. So much needed to be achieved and in our view more could have been achieved if the EAC was involved.

With the 2017 elections looming only 5 years away our nominee continued to encourage the activation of the committee so that the Commissioner could be strengthened by regular meetings.

When we were finally recently asked to reaffirm our support we did so, looking forward to the Commissioner taking advantage of its role. We also stressed the importance of advice being given on the basis of facts being presented with details of options considered. This would assist ensure that it was indeed providing advice and not simply being told of some of the decisions were being made.

The EAC is an important part of the role of the community in advising the Commissioner. In fact the advice provided to the Commissioner needs to be much broader than this source. Elected MPs should also be seriously consulted as should candidates not elected, members of the public service and the wider community.

The burden of consulting widely is a challenge, given the massive administrative challenges faced by any constitutional office holder but it is part of the job.
We are disappointed to the learn that members of the Committee have found it necessary to resign but respect their duty to do so if they are not receiving the information necessary for them to give fully informed advice.
This is not the first time our nominees to important roles have felt compelled to resign rather than be compromised by failures of the institutions to follow due process.

We see it as yet another reminder that the institutions of government need to be encouraged to see that they can perform better and should not expect to be unchallenged.

TI PNG is involved and will continue to be involved with government institutions committed to improvement.

We encourage the Electoral Commission to embrace the decision of the members of the EAC as a step in continuing to strengthen its role as an essential, proudly independent, corruption free and effective constitutional office.

Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) condemns the PNG Government’s blatant contempt for legal process in deporting lay missionary, Douglas Tennent. When a court at law rules that a deportation may not proceed and government simply ignores the ruling we are being betrayed.

The Government and its agents have ignored court issued deportation stay order, in the case of Douglas Tennent, and it is a clear act of insolent disregard for the rule of law.

“It is disappointing in the extreme to see that public officials saw fit to target a church worker that was serving the people of this nation. It is even more disappointing that his deportation seems to be serving the interests of a minority and not in the best interests of the people that the missionary is working with”, said chairman of TIPNG, Mr Lawrence Stephens.

Mr Stephens said, “There is something sinister in this. When it is common knowledge that they are unable to find large numbers of unqualified workers robbing PNG workers of jobs why the sudden attention to the efforts of a church worker to follow the instructions of his superiors in the Archdiocese of Rabaul. There is something also cowardly about the manner in which the officials went about this. Arriving with a deportation order in the afternoon of the last day of work before the Queen’s Birthday holiday weekend. It appears to have been a deliberate effort to deny the Douglas Tennent and the Archdiocese of Rabaul opportunity to exercise their legal rights. And even when a court order was presented to the officials it was ignored and Mr Tennent deported.”

The Government of PNG has failed to deliver on its promises to protect people being robbed as a result of the scandalous behaviour of officials and foreign timber interests yet its officials move with swiftly and once again illegally to undermine the efforts of the Catholic Church in East New Britain to mediate in seeking justice for the people of the province.

“We are frankly disgusted by this action. It is contemptuous of the people, their rights and their laws. We would expect the Minister to acknowledge a serious mistake in this process and to make sure that the government arranges to return Mr Tennent to his home in Vunapope immediately.” said Mr Stephens.

Radio broadcaster and widely loved media personality, Roger Hau’ofa, has been an important part of the anti-corruption movement in PNG over many years. It is with sadness and gratitude that the Transparency International PNG chapter has learnt of his passing, after a long illness.

His talents and skills are admired by many in the media industry and others throughout PNG and abroad. His voice has been a part of the lives of three generations of Papua New Guineans and his kind personality reached out to millions of people.

Roger Hau’ofa will live on in the hearts and minds of many who have benefited from his efforts to provide wide audiences to people working to reduce corruption in PNG.