ECP is the way forward for PNG

I would  like to commend Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for bringing back the revised Enhanced Cooperation Programme (ECP). When it was first introduced, the ECP got off very well until that ultra-nationalist, Luther Wenge, sought legal interpretation of brought an end to the bilateral agreement.

I urge the government to move it one step higher – placing ECP officers in all government departments, both at the national and provincial levels, to monitor bureaucratic practices of public servants to ensure decisions and actions are legal. The ECP may be our only hope to eradicate corruption that is eating away the government structure at all levels.

There will obviously be critics who will say it is neo-colonialism reinvented or against the post-indepen­dence principles of localisation of government positions. Some will argue that ECP flies in the face of national intellect and competence – not to mention rhetoric and clichés like threat to national pride and loss of belief and confidence in oneself.

But I say these are very shallow arguments and we know that our national and cultural pride will never be compromised in any way. These are academic arguments that have no practical value in reality. We also have to consider the fact that white collar criminals would use those shallow, worn-out arguments to protect their own interests as they will definitely face the full force of the law under ECP (at least under the version I provide here).

There is a fundamental justification for foreign intervention and active involvement. We have all proven to ourselves and to the outside world that we cannot trust ourselves to get things done properly and professionally or mo­ving this country forward: Sapos Papua holim wok, Momase bai koros/jeles/nogat wok bung wantaim, sapos NGI holim wok, Hailans bai koros/jeles/nogat wok bung wantaim, and these are realities we live and deal with daily so much so that we withdraw ourselves into our ethnic and tribal enclaves or other personal support networks to find meaning and sanity in this crazy world.

And we do business along those lines because of the perceived threat of ethnic and tribal competition and rivalry. In its extreme form of ECP, the go­vernment could place credible and experienced ECP officials in top positions like police commissioner, PNGDF commander, departmental secretaries, and managing directors of state-owned enterprises for the reason given above – that we simply cannot trust ourselves when dealing with top government posts.
Get our bright government law­yers to prepare the necessary legal framework to effect crucial structu­ral changes if this is the way to go. We need an impartial intervener in the form of ECP to assist our Task Force Sweep team to bring to light those serious allegations of illegal millions, if not billions, of kina that are fast disappearing into individuals’ private bank accounts both within and outside of the country as well as being “investors” in private business ventures outside the country.

It is thanks to our local reporters these serious allegations are exposed but the media can only do so much and within legal boundaries. The next step is our authorities dealing with these allegations. These are crucial matters where the ECP officers can investigate, provide advice and work closely with the task force on eradicating corruption.
 We will need ECP accountants, lawyers and police investigators placed in all government departments and agencies to investigate allegations of fraud and financial mismanagement. The ECP is the best gift the O’Neill-led government can give to PNG. The crucial moment will be the 2012 election and that’s where the presence and active involvement of an impartial outsider such as ECP is much needed.
Let’s face it, since the 1997 general election, use of firearms and armed violence had continued unabated despite official assurance and commitment to ensure free and fair elections.

Too much government bureaucracy has been compromised and mini-political empires are cropping up at all levels of government. We came know that local criminal elements and politicians were in cahoots. We also know that the state is weak (but certainly not failing) and can do only so much given its limited resources including personnel.This is a reason why we need the ECP right now.

Let me tell you a story about impartiality in our duties. Those who grew up in Mendi town in the 1970s and 1980s would know the famous 12 Civil Engineering Battalio­n of the Royal Australian Army. In those days, under the lukaut of the 12 CE Works, Mendi works was one of the most-envied and one of the best managed provincial government departments in the whole county.
Tasol taim ol lusim yumi go …
That is why we need the ECP.


Progress via cooperation
Port Moresby